The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has urged members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) to return to their classrooms, assuring them that their concerns are being addressed.
CETAG members at all 46 colleges of education nationwide have been on strike since June 14, 2024, due to the government’s refusal to implement their arbitral award and service conditions, which has caused students to vacate campuses.
At a news conference in Kumasi on July 22, CETAG warned that it would resist any illegal attempts to freeze members’ salaries and vowed to continue their indefinite strike until their demands are met.
In response, GTEC instructed the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to withhold the July 2024 salaries of all CETAG teaching staff, except College Principals. GTEC defended this action, stating that the salary freeze was a necessary consequence of CETAG’s failure to validate their presence at work.
In an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Channel One TV, GTEC Acting Director General Prof. Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai urged CETAG to return to the classrooms, emphasizing that their concerns are being addressed.
Prof. Abdulai noted, “While the salary stoppage may be disappointing, it is not unprecedented. For a resolution to be reached, all parties need to work together in a harmonious environment. Returning to the classroom is essential for us to resolve the salary freeze issue.”
He also suggested that the minister is unlikely to adopt a rigid stance and will be open to addressing the matter.
