President of the Ghana National Union for Technical Students, Ahmed Osei, has bemoaned the effect of the strike on the teaching and learning of technical students across the country.
Speaking on Campus Exclusive on the impact of the strike by public tertiary unions, Ahmed Osei stated that students are facing financial crisis and are being asked by parents to return home.
It’s so unfortunate that when there is a strike over an industrial process of such nature, really you know, it brings an effect on students academic performance and their whole being as well cause some parents are calling their wards to come back to their house, and I’m just taking the feel of a parent, let’s say, somebody whose parents are in Accra, and the ward is in Wa Technical university or the ward is in Bolgatanga Technical University, even the [allowances] alone can take care of the child for about a week or two, it hasn’t been easy, it hasn’t been easy with the students.
He noted that teachers in Ghana are not adequately considered in terms of salary compared to other professions, which has been an issue for years now and is hoping for government to address their issues immediately.
He however encouraged students on campus to be hopeful in the strike period, in reference to their academics.
if you look at any government worker, any person holding an official position, they don’t really worry about their monthly salary, because their allowances, they enjoy, which means that they are living comfortably, so then, it’s something which is supposed to be done for these various lecturers from these various labour unions.
Meanwhile, the National President of Technical Universities Teachers Association of Ghana(TUTAG), Joseph Mensah Oti said he is expecting that the upcoming meeting with the labour commission, will address their concern..
National Union has been magnanimous enough, taken into consideration the current economic predicament that we find ourselves in. As for this one, these are not fresh issues, they are issues some of them dating back to November 2021, where we have had several conversations with [the government], where we indicated earlier our resolve to embark on an industrial action. We are anticipating that we will have a fruitful discussion with the labour commission and all other allied parties tomorrow, at the office of the mediator.
Striking public university teacher unions and associations in Ghana held a meeting at the National Labour Commission on November 30, with hopes to form a mutual agreement addressing their concerns.
The engagement was a result of the industrial strike three weeks ago due to what they described as government’s failure to address their concerns based on the agreed conditions of service.
Concerns that were raised by the unions were in reference to the implementation of adjusted ex-pump rate of Ghc 10.99 to affect Vehicle Maintenance and Off-Campus Allowances.
These striking unions include, University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) and Technical Universities Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG).
