<<Print>>

The Kumasi branch of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana has threatened members to stay away from a planned invigilation of examinations for part-time students. The threat comes in the wake of a nationwide boycott of classroom by POTAG members who are demanding payment for their book and research allowance. Luv FM�s Erastus Asare Donkor sighted one of the threatening messages on the walls which read: �The Polytechnic has decided to go ahead with the evening examinations against the decision of POTAG. Therefore all members are cautioned to stay away from invigilation. Sanctions shall apply. The safety of any member found invigilating cannot be guaranteed. POTAG is ready to go to court if any action is taken against its members for not taking part in invigilation.� According to Asare Donkor, the Polytechnic authorities are ready to go ahead with the exams with or without the invigilation of the POTAG members. Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof Nsowa Nuamah is reported to have said that senior managers, non-academics, assistant registrars would be called upon to conduct the invigilation. The exams which were set for Friday had been rescheduled to Monday on the request of the students. Meanwhile POTAG has sworn to stay away from the classroom until the court case brought against them by the Labour Commission is concluded. National Chairman James Dugrah told Joy News it appears stakeholders do not want the issue to be resolved any time soon. He said once they have been summoned to court they will see it through before returning to the classroom. The strike announced by the polytechnic teachers is in its third week with some of the polytechnics announcing partial shutdown. Per the statutes of the Polytechnics, students must be sent home and the school shutdown if the teachers go on strike for over three weeks.