3 months ago
13 ARTICLE AD
The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has called off its two-month-long strike.
Members of the association “voted unanimously to end the industrial action with immediate effect” on Tuesday during a virtual meeting convened by its National Council.
This decision was communicated in a statement issued and signed by the Acting National Secretary, Mr Thomas Amponsah.
According to the statement, the decision to call off the strike follows CETAG’s meeting with the Office of the Vice President on August 15, 2024, at the Jubilee House, during which they were assured of an amicable resolution to the impasse.
The assurance was confirmed in the meeting, which included representatives from the Ministry of Employment, Labour Relations, and Pensions (MELRP), the Ministry of Education (MoE), and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
Also present were the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF), CETAG, and other key stakeholders on Monday, August 19, 2024.
However, CETAG leadership reiterated that the strike action would resume at the end of October 2024, “if the employer fails to pay the frozen July 2024 and August 2024 salaries together by the end of August 2024.”
The statement further said the offline migration of staff would be completed by the end of August 2024, and the offline migration data would be sent to all 46 colleges of education for verification by individual staff before processing by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) in September 2024.
Payment after migration would reflect in October 2024 salaries, and the parties involved would meet to agree on a payment plan for all arrears immediately.
The nomenclature for migrating Senior Members of the Teaching staff will be Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and Professor, in line with the affiliate universities’ Scheme of Service.
Additionally, compensation for all-year-round work done in 2022 should be paid by the end of August 2024, and all holders of researched Master’s degrees shall be migrated as Assistant Lecturers.
On June 14 this year, CETAG members embarked on the strike seeking better conditions of service, including one month’s salary for additional duties performed in 2022, and the application of agreed rates of allowances payable to public universities to deserving CETAG members.
As part of efforts by the government to compel them to return to the classroom due to the negative impact, the strike was having 46 colleges of education, their July salaries were frozen.
The strike brought to a halt academic work at the colleges, affecting examination.
BY AGNES OPKU SARPONG
