CETAG pulls out of meeting with Education Ministry over protracted strike

The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), on Friday, July 26, pulled out of a scheduled meeting with the Education Ministry intended to decide the next line of action regarding their ongoing strike.

According to CETAG, they did not see any signature in a letter from the Finance Ministry to seal any agreement with them.

Speaking to JoyNews, CETAG’s National Communications Officer Fedilis Kamaayi said “We were expecting an agreement that should have been signed by the Ministry, key stakeholders so that based on that document we could have a discussion but we have not received the document from the ministry.”

CETAG has been on strike since June 14, demanding better conditions of service, including the implementation of the arbitral awards given by the National Labour Commission.

The government, intending to force teachers to return to the classroom, put a freeze on their salaries based on a GTEC directive.

This has, however, not cowed the teachers into backing down; they say they can even forfeit two more months of their salaries if that is what it takes to get their due.

Although Mr Kamaayi admitted that students were badly impacted, he said this was the only way to demand what was due to them.

A member of the communication team told Joy FM’s Emefa Apawu that the resolution of the strike is dependent on the employers.

“If the demands, whatever we are asking and they call us, let's say today and ‘tell us that on Monday your account will be credited, that is all. We call it off,” he added.

Source: Myjoyonline.com