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The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has appealed to the striking Teacher Unions in Ghana who are demanding for 20% Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA) to return to the classrooms as they continue negotiations with their leadership body, Purefmonline.com reports.

Teacher Unions across the country last week embarked on an indefinite strike following the failure of the government to meet their demands although it had earlier assured that it would have reached an agreement with the leadership body of teacher Unions by the close of the day, Thursday, June 30, 2022.

The joint Teacher Unions which include the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) say their demand for 20% allowance is due to the rising cost of living.

In a special appeal on Kumasi-based Pure FM on July 7, the sector Minister begged them to return to the classroom as they work to bring finality to the matter.

“I will beg them to go back to the classroom. Left to me alone, they would be given everything they ask for because the teaching profession is not an easy job. It requires a lot of dedication and we are well aware of the significant job they are doing for all of us as a people.

It has come to a time that they are requesting for certain demands. But on our part, we are pleading with them to go back to the classroom so we continue with engagement with their leadership body.”

“We haven’t relented on their demands. Our only appeal is that they should go back to the classroom. We will come out with appropriate decisions that will benefit all of us as parties.

We will bring closure to this issue roughly by the end of this week. We will engage the Labour Commission and Fair Wages on our part as government to bring closure to this matter,” Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum told host, Kwame Adjei Bohyen on Pure FM.