The Colleges of Education Teachers Association (CETAG) has stated it is yet to meet the leadership of the association to consider going back to the classroom despite signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with government.
CETAG has been on strike since June 14 due to the government’s failure to implement agreed-upon arbitral awards and service conditions set by the National Labour Commission.
The nationwide strike which has been ongoing for the past two months has left students stranded and campuses deserted with CETAG members urging for the closure of campuses.
In an attempt to find a solution to the strike, the Ministry of Labour through the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission held a meeting on Monday, August 19, 2024, where CETAG and the government signed an MoU.
Addressing the media after the meeting, CETAG’s National Trustee, Maxwell Bunu, stated that most of their concerns have been addressed, however, he added that a decision on whether to end the strike will be made after further discussions with the association’s leadership.
“The issue of all-year-round work and then the de-freezing of the July salary and the payment of the August salary I think all these concerns have been addressed. And as a National CETAG Trustee, I don’t think with my experience here, it will be prudent for CETAG to remain on strike.
“So as we have indicated here, we would certainly go back and convey all the issues that have been discussed and approved of by the officials here, so that by the close of tomorrow, with consultation with the council, I think we will do the needful because we cannot continue to be on strike forever.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations Ignatius Baffour Awuah said plans have been put in place to make up for the lost academic time.
“Let me also take this opportunity to plead with our students, who perhaps may have gone home as a result of the strike action, to also hurry up and return to school so that academic work can resume. PRINCOF and CETAG have been tasked to work together to make sure that the hours lost are made up in a very short time so that it does not affect the next academic year.”
