Colleges of education shut down following strike by lecturers

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The closure comes after the failure of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) to call off their over 21-day old strike over their market premium.

They are also demanding book and research allowance on the same scale with their colleagues in other comparable institutions.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, Vincent Asafoah, has confirmed the closure of the colleges.

According to him, “CETAG is clearly not ready to come to a compromise so the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) has directed the principals of the Colleges of Education to release students to go home while negotiations continue."

Last week, the Ministry of Education asked all principals of colleges of education not to validate salaries of tutors over their decision to declare an indefinite strike.

Asefoah told Accra-based Starr FM that the Ministry of Education will stick to their decision as long as the teachers stay away from the classrooms.

“The strike action is illegal because there has been an engagement process with them. So it is almost unconscionable for us the education ministry, labour ministry and themselves to see them declare strike.”

“We heard them going on strike when all these negotiations were going on. We have agreed on the percent of increment that is worth them and yet they went on the strike. If the strike follows, their salaries will not be validated this month or the next month and as long as the strike persists. …it is illegal in this country to declare an illegal strike and still expect to be paid.”