PRINCOF Appeals To CETAG To Call Off Strike After Government Intervention

• The Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education has urged the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana to call off its strike
• According to PRINCOF, the government has begun to fulfil its part of the Memorandum of Understanding
• PRINCOF has appealed to CETAG to reciprocate the government's 'gesture of goodwill' by returning to the classroom

The Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) has urged the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) to call off its strike.

PRINCOF, in a letter on August 5, 2024, said that while it acknowledges CETAG's concerns concerning the implementation of the arbitration awards by the National Labour Commission (NLC), it believes a speedy resolution would be achieved when the teachers return to the classroom.

The appeal follows CETAG and the government signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, establishing the government’s commitment to implementing the NLC arbitrary awards.

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According to PRINCOF, the MoU was a concrete action the government took to demonstrate its commitment to addressing CETAG's concerns.

Therefore, CETAG should reciprocate that commitment by returning to the classroom.

“Your continuous stay on strike will further disrupt the academic calendar, which can have repercussions for academic work,” it stated.

Citinewsroom stated that PRINCOF further claimed that the government, in demonstrating its commitment to the MoU, had started paying the Book and Research Top-Up Allowance through GIFMIS and is expected to hit CETAG members’ accounts by August 9, 2024.

It also noted that the government began transferring staff from the Colleges of Education salary structure to the universities' salary structure by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission on July 29, 2024, and that this migration would end in four weeks’ time.

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“Per the agreement, PRINCOF, CETAG, and CENTSAG are to meet with the migration team weekly to receive reports and address any issues.

“To ensure that no staff is disadvantaged, PRINCOF and GTEC have taken steps to update the data,” it added.

Employment minister says CETAG ending indefinite strike

Earlier, the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) is reportedly set to end its indefinite strike.

The Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, delivered the news following a meeting with the Public Accounts Committee on Friday, August 2, 2024.

Myjoyonline.com reported that he said the assurance came from the CETAG leaders after the government finally acknowledged their grievances and how they should be addressed.

CETAG declared an indefinite nationwide strike action over seven weeks ago, citing poor working conditions and the government's failure to uphold a National Labour Commission (NLC) ruling that offered them better service conditions.

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CETAG strike grounds education to a halt

YEN.com.gh also reported that CETAG's indefinite strike has brought colleges of education to a standstill.

Administrative and academic activities at all 46 colleges of education have been halted due to the strike.

Students have urged lecturers to return to class as the strike threatens to disrupt the academic calendar.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh