Dr. Clement Apaak, the deputy ranking member on the Parliament’s Education Committee, has lamented the nation’s industrial turmoil.
Multiple strike actions have recently affected the educational sector, and some teacher unions are currently negotiating with the National Labor Commission (NLC) and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
Due to a variety of factors, including the government’s inability to meet their demands, the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and other teachers are absent from the classroom.
The majority of Unions claim that their strike actions are the result of the government’s callous response to their repeated letters asking it to address their complaint but receiving no response at all.
The deputy ranking member on education commented on the striking actions and called the situation unprecedented.
“As I write, all teaching staff, and most non-teaching staff of public tertiary educational institutions in Ghana, under the Ministry of Education are on strike: UTAG, TEWU, GAUA, SSA, CETAG, CENTSAG, TUTAG.
“Unprecedented, and a clear indication that our educational sector is in turmoil. Remember that Pre-tertiary education unions were compelled to return to the classroom by a court order, while negotiations with the government on their issues continued,” Mr. Apaak stated.
He has thus urged the government to act quickly to break the standoff that has led to the sad situation the educational sector is in.