The ongoing strike by members of the Tertiary Education Workers Union (TEWU) and senior staff from public universities, demanding improved working conditions from the government, has entered its third week, causing significant disruptions across campuses.
University services, including environmental cleanliness, classroom setup, security provision, and healthcare services, have been severely affected due to the withdrawal of union labor.
Freshmen at the University of Ghana are particularly impacted as they face restricted access to the university’s library facilities.
Speaking to Univers News, students voiced their frustrations with the situation, describing the challenges they encounter in studying and conducting research.
“Because [the university staff associations] are on strike the library is unavailable for me. So I have to sit outside and it’s not really benefiting me because the sun is also hot. It’s really affecting me because I’m also a non -resident.”
Another student expressed concern over the lack of access to essential resources, stating,
“The projectors and the screens that were supposed to be used for the lectures were unavailable; we are supposed to project the lecture slides to learn during lectures but now they are all inaccessible. It’s hindering our academic progress.”
Students urged the government to address the grievances of the striking unions promptly to restore normalcy to academic activities.
Reflecting on the impact of the strike, one student rebuked the government for not adhering to the demands of the striking associations.
“The government knows that the working conditions of these universities staff are very poor and they are not respected. What is preventing the government from improving their working conditions? I think the government should sort them out, should do something about it, because it’s very, very bad. Imagine having a family member working in such area and then he’s being treated this way.”
Students implored the striking unions to consider the broader implications of their actions on academic pursuits and future leadership development in the country.
“I would suggest that they kindly come back to campus so that lectures can go on track and so that we can have access to the library again. We are begging them to consider the meaningfulness of the education that we are getting here; we are begging them to come back. We know that government has not treated them fairly but they should consider us, the people who want to be educated. We have goals, we have dreams. But if they keep on going on strike like that, it keeps on affecting us.”
In conclusion, students appealed for a swift resolution to the impasse, underscoring the importance of uninterrupted education and the fulfillment of their academic aspirations. They urged all parties involved to prioritize dialogue and cooperation to mitigate the adverse effects of the strike on the educational system.
