The Aftermath Of The Utag And Potag Strike Actions

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) recently went on a strike that saw the redraw of their services to the detriment of the innocent students. Surprisingly during the period of strike which saw a standstill of academic activities, the students’ front hit at government with threats of demonstrations and aultimatumes. They blindly lambasted government and strongly refuse to have an insight of the issues surrounding the UTAG and POTAG strike actions. In fact the picture that was framed for students is that, lecturers were not paid their salaries by government which was never the case.

The period of the strike rendered students confused. We were left to our own faith in terms of our academic endeavors. And as students as we are, did not realize that, we pay for these lecturers to lecture us if even their salaries are not being paid by students. By virtue of the social contract we have with our lectures by accepting to be students and they accepting to be our lecturers under so many conditions, it’s morally right for them to be accountable to us when it comes to the issues of our main academic activity on campus which is lectures.

On a very serious note, immediately the strike actions by both UTAG and POTAG were called off, academic activities rejuvenate. This time round, we saw lecturers rushing over course outlines and arranging for extra time to cover up the time they wasted going on strike. By so doing a lot of important issues were left out in the content of their lectures. Even topics on course outlines were not covered. Meaning lectures were not well and fully delivered because they were rushed over. This is the case in Tech, Cape, and UDS. This has created a lot of unwarranted pressure on the students’ mind. In other words, students are paying dearly for a strike that was embarked on by their lectures. I am highly flabbergasted that students did not become aggressive, because stopping lectures is synonymously to deliberately preventing us from achieving our goal, which is coming out with a good class that can put us into the job market. The irregularities caused by the strike actions will not change any marking scheme of examiners. These lecturers are always unfair to students.

In the case of Legon , the academic calendar has been extended and has frustrated students. Students who stay far from Accra may not be able to spend the coming Christmas with their parents and families bearing in mind what Christmas means to Christians all over the world. It’s economically unwise for any student far from Accra to travel to our homes and back to continue to write examines within a very short period of time. Financially, we are constrained by the strike actions because we will need more money to cope up with the more days we will be living on campus. This burden will certainly tickle down to our parents.

Per situational and critical analysis of the POTAG and UTAG strike actions, it’s paramount to indicate that, students were the ones used by the lecturers to propel their guest for more money from government. In so doing, they make education so complex and expensive in Ghana which should not be the case. Our actions as students during the strike actions are what is making us over burden with this current academic pressures. This should not have been the case because we did not go on strike. We mind that our lecturers get more money but not that, which should be detrimental to us.

In fact, to some extend, I think this will be a lesson to all students that, we must look before we leap over issues especially if they don’t concern us. It is also fundamental to reemphasis as a student’s front that our ultimate goal should be standing up for the student’s rights rather than allowing our judgments and decisions to be marred by parochialism.

Also, the Ghana Labour Commission need to establish standards and ensure that labour in Ghana is well organized and disciplined. Punitive measures should be meted out those labour unions that will always want to circumvent rules for their own selfish needs. All labour unions in Ghana will have to respect the authority of the Ghana Labour Union. This will prevent a lot of unnecessary strike actions in Ghana.

It is also accurate to state that , lecturers should not due to our studentship try to always navigate issues and try to use us as cover when a stone is landing on their head. On another hand, government should always put pragmatic measures to curb problems that will destabilize student’s activities especially that of academics bearing in mind that we are the future human resource base of this country.

Long Live Ghana!

BY: Dabuo Joseph Lekaangme (Sly-Joe)

University of Ghana, Legon

0246902982

sly-joe81@yahoo.com