The Business and Executive Committee of the University of Ghana (UG) has directed that academic activities for the 2021/2022 academic year commence on Monday, February 28, 2022.

A notice signed by the Registrar, Emelia Agyei-Mensah, on Thursday indicated that the decision to start classes was taken at a meeting held by the School’s authorities on Wednesday.

“Students, faculty and staff should take note of this [notice announcing the commencement of classes], in anticipation that the ongoing ratification processes of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) branches will finalise the suspension of the strike, as announced by their National Executive Committee,” the announcement explained.

Per the revised academic calendar for the year, students will write their Interim Assessment examinations between March 28 and April 14.

The first semester examinations are scheduled to take place from Saturday, May 14 to Sunday, May 29, 2022. The University will vacate on Monday, May 30 and resume academic work on Thursday, June 23, 2022.

This follows an earlier decision by lecturers of the Institution to reject the suspension of the strike as was declared by their National Executive Committee (NEC).

On Wednesday, the UG chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) voted against the resolution of the national body.

In a tally result signed by the Electoral Commissioner of UG-UTAG, Dr. Innocent Lawson, 596 members voted against the suspension of the strike; while some 127 others voted to accept the decision by NEC.

This means that out of the total of 723 UTAG-UG members who voted, 82.4% want the strike to continue, while 17.6% want academic work to resume.

Per the outcome of the votes, academic work was to remain on hold.

But students have been asked to prepare for the resumption of lectures from Monday.

Meanwhile, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has invited the leadership of UTAG and relevant stakeholders to a meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 24.

It forms part of negotiation efforts that will ensure a lasting agreement is reached to officially end the industrial action.

UTAG wants government to restore their 2012 conditions of service, which pegged the monthly income of entry-level lecturers at $2,084.

The Association has complained that the current arrangement has reduced its members’ basic premiums to $997.84.