Your strike is having negative effect on students; end it - NUGS urges CETAG

National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has called on Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) to end their strike action as it is having an unbearable effect on students.

NUGS urged CETAG to return to the negotiation table and amicably reach an agreement in the best interest of all stakeholders.

CETAG declared a nationwide strike on Monday 29th October 2018 after months of failed negotiations with government.

Despite their action affecting 46 public Colleges of Education in the country CETAG defended its indefinite strike over differences in market premium between its members and University teachers.

President of NUGS, Richmond Asare Tinkaro in a press release challenged government to bring an end to the impasse so academic work could return.

"The National Union of Ghana Students is interested in the concerns of Students and how early it would be addressed and we wish to call on all stakeholders like, CETAG, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Labour Commission, Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education to collaborate in addressing the impasse to ensure that students have a comfortable environment to continue their academic work" he said.

GO BACK TO THE NEGOTIATION TABLE; NUGS PLEAD WITH CETAG

The National Union of Ghana Students is saddened by the over 21 days strike action by the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) over their controversial market premium and 'book and research allowance' demands.

The National Union of Ghana Students believes that the strike action has had negative effect on students of the over 46 Colleges of Education especially for the new entrants who just entered their colleges and have not had access to their reading materials, books and lecturers to take them through their academic studies.

There is a saying that when two elephants fight it is the ground that suffers. In this case the ordinary students seem to be at receiving end of this impasse.

The union applauds the leadership of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana and the SRC Leadership of the Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong -Akuapem, which called for negotiation among CETAG and the parties involved in their press release dubbed "The Horrible Current state of the Colleges of Education as Government remains unconcern while CETAG abandons the tutelage".

The National Union of Ghana Students wishes to plead on CETAG to go back to the negotiation table and make their case as was done previously. We further plead with the government to also work to put measures in place by ensuring that CETAG returns to the classroom.

The National Union of Ghana Students is interested in the concerns of Students and how early it would be addressed and we wish to call on all stakeholders like, CETAG, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Labour Commission, Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education to collaborate in addressing the impasse to ensure that students have a comfortable environment to continue their academic work.

Signed...

Richmond Asare Tinkaro (President, NUGS) 0543253243

Kobby Otchere Marfo (Press and Information Secretary, NUGS) 0240852651