On Friday, July 26, the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) withdrew from a scheduled meeting with the Education Ministry meant to discuss the next steps regarding their ongoing strike.
CETAG cited the absence of a signed agreement from the Finance Ministry as the reason for their pullout. CETAG’s National Communications Officer, Fedilis Kamaayi, explained to JoyNews that they were expecting a signed agreement involving the Ministry and key stakeholders to facilitate the discussion, but such a document was not provided.
The strike, which began on June 14, stems from CETAG’s demands for better working conditions, including the implementation of arbitral awards from the National Labour Commission. In an effort to compel teachers to return to work, the government has frozen their salaries based on a directive from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
Despite this financial pressure, the teachers remain steadfast in their strike, expressing willingness to forgo additional months of salary if necessary to achieve their demands. While acknowledging the negative impact on students, Kamaayi emphasized that the strike is their only means to secure their rightful benefits.
A CETAG communication team member conveyed to Joy FM’s Emefa Apawu that the resolution of the strike depends entirely on the employers meeting their demands. They indicated that if their accounts were credited promptly, they would immediately call off the strike.