College of Education Teachers continue with strike

The National Council of College of Education Teachers� Association Ghana (CETAG), is to meet on Tuesday, January 28, to discuss issues raised by the National Labour Commission�s (NLC) on the association�s industrial action. Mr Godwin Tetteh Nomo, CETAG Treasurer, Accra College of Education chapter on Friday told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that: �Is only after Tuesday�s meeting that we can say anything, but for now, we are waiting for further directives from the leadership of CETAG.� Mr Nomo, who is a Lecturer at the Accra College of Education, could still not say whether examinations would take place as scheduled or not. He said: �Examination is expected to start on Monday, January 27,� stressing that not until the leadership�s meeting, we cannot say or do anything�. GNA�s visit to the school reveled that students were still studying on their own, as they prepare for their upcoming examinations. CETAG on Monday embarked on a sit-down strike, protesting against poor conditions of services in their sector. Meanwhile, the NLC has described their action as premature, procedurally wrong and illegal under the law. Meanwhile the Ministry of Education (MoE) on Thursday said it has presented evidence to NLC to show the level of its commitments towards the concerns of CETAG members. Mr Paul Kofi Krampa, Director of Public Relations, MoE, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the Ministry is ready to accompany CETAG to appear before the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on Friday, January 24, to discuss issues over their conditions of services. �We will go with CETAG to the FWSC tomorrow hopefully to resolve the issue of conditions of service once and for all,� Mr Krampa noted. Mr Krampa was commenting on the outcome of discussion held at the NLC between MoE and CETAG on Wednesday, January 22, which he described as �very successful as both sides presented their points to the Commission�. According to Mr Krampa, CETAG has agreed to call a meeting of its members on Tuesday January 28, to take a final decision over their on-going strike action. The NLC has described CETAG�s strike as premature, procedurally wrong and illegal under the law. The Commission has, therefore, directed CETAG to immediately call off the strike and appraise itself properly with the provisions in the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), regarding the processes of unionization and the dispute settlement procedures. A statement signed by Dr Bernice A. Welbeck, Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said, the Commission gave the directives after meeting representatives of CETAG, the Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Council of Ghana in Accra on Wednesday January 22. The meeting was to resolve the strike embarked on by CETAG. Dr Welbeck said �having heard the parties; the Commission observed that the MoE is working at ensuring that CETAG�s concerns are addressed in line with the harmonized statutes, condition of service and scheme of service developed for the Colleges of Education�. The Commission, therefore, directed MoE to expedite the process to have the concerns and issues affecting CETAG addressed as soon as possible, and urged CETAG to avail itself of the opportunity given the Association to be involved in the stakeholder discussion going on at the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. The Commission also directed the MoE to provide CETAG with copies of all the relevant documents that will facilitate their participation in the discussions at the FWSC in an informed manner. Members of CETAG on Monday January 20, embarked on an industrial action against poor conditions of service.