Accra Poly students demonstrate over lecturers strike

Students of Accra Polytechnic over the weekend began a three-day demonstration in protest against a strike by lecturers, which they said was taking too long. They said "the long delay of lecturers in returning to the classroom" would not only disrupt the academic calendar, but also put a serious strain on the money they have to take them through to the end of the semester.

Polytechnic teachers started a strike on August 1, to back their demand for better salaries and conditions of service. They are seeking, among other things, the same level of salaries and other conditions of service as pertains in the universities. The out-going Students' Representative Council (SRC) President, Mr. Archibald Danquah-Amoah said the lecturers have a genuine cause for their strike, but it was unfortunate that it is taking place at a time when the polytechnic is preparing for the end of semester examinations, which begins on Monday.

“We sometimes do these revisions with the assistance of our lecturers by way of discussions, so how can we do this in their absence?" Mr. Danquah-Amoah, therefore, appealed to the government and the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) to work fast at reaching a compromise so that lecturers would resume work as early as possible. "If by August 15 the lecturers have not come back to the classroom, then I think it will be in the best interest of the government, POTAG and students to close down the polytechnics until these issues of conditions of service are resolved."

In an interview with the GNA, Mr. Emmanuel Agyeman, Chairman of the Accra Polytechnic branch of POTAG, said POTAG does not understand why government is not willing to give them the same conditions of service as their counterparts in the universities although they have the same academic and professional qualifications. Mr. Agyeman said the explanation given by the Ministry of Education that polytechnics are not degree awarding institutions is unacceptable and unsatisfactory. He asked why a section of principals of polytechnics had been given salaries and conditions of service equivalent to the level of vice chancellors of the universities, while POTAG's demands had not been granted. He said although Accra Polytechnic lecturers have agreed to call off the strike, they would not resume lectures until the outcome of the National Delegates' Conference at Kumasi on Monday is known. He appealed to the government to consider increasing the remuneration for polytechnic teachers because they are leaving for more financially rewarding departments and it is becoming difficult to replace them.