The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has announced plans to begin an indefinite strike on December 31, 2024, in response to what it describes as the government’s failure to honor key agreements.

The decision follows an emergency meeting of CETAG’s National Council on December 20, 2024, where the union expressed frustration over the government’s repeated breaches of agreements made during prior negotiations. These agreements include the implementation of a compulsory arbitration award by the National Labour Commission (NLC) on May 2, 2023.

In a statement issued on December 23, CETAG criticized the government for failing to fulfill its commitments, which the union says has negatively impacted the welfare of its members and the education sector at large.

CETAG had previously called a strike but suspended it on August 20, 2024, after receiving assurances from government officials, including the Vice President, the Minister for Employment, Labour Relations, and Pensions, and the Minister of Education. These assurances led to an agreement signed on August 19, 2024. However, CETAG now claims that the government has not adhered to the terms of the agreement, prompting the union to resume industrial action.

The union has called on stakeholders in teacher education, including the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), affiliate universities, and the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), to intervene swiftly to avoid further disruptions to the academic calendar.

CETAG emphasized that all diplomatic efforts to resolve the issues had been exhausted and urged immediate action to prevent a prolonged strike.

Source:TheDotNews