KNUST TESCON worried about politicization of educational issues

Kumasi, Oct. 13, GNA - The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) branch of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the NPP, has expressed grave concern about the politicization of issues confronting the country's educational sector. It said education is about the future of the youth and the country as a whole and that issues concerning it should be looked above political coloration.

Addressing a press conference in Kumasi on Wednesday, Mr Nelson Owusu-Ansah, President of the KNUST branch of TESCON, cited the impasse between the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the government and said the current twist and politicization of the matter is unfortunate.

He said the accusation by the KNUST branch of Tertiary Institutions Network (TEIN) of NDC that, the leadership of the KNUST local branch of UTAG are known NPP activists and that the strike action is politically orchestrated to sabotage the NDC government, is unfortunate. "It is indeed unfortunate for such a sensitive national issue to be tainted with pedestrian and "vuvuzela" propaganda by TEIN", he quipped. TEIN had on Tuesday, accused Dr Kwasi Ohene Yankyera, KNUST local President of UTAG and other executive members of leading the strike action for political expediency. They alleged that Dr Yankyera was an election coordinator of the NPP in the 2008 general elections and that he was trying to frustrate the NDC government. However, Mr Owusu-Ansah said the issue of education is not about "NDC neither is it about NPP or CPP. It is about the future of our beloved country Ghana and the youth" and appealed to members of TEIN not to trivialize the issue.

He called on the government as a matter of urgency, to sit down with the striking UTAG members to find amicable solution to enable lectures to resume on university campuses. Mr Owusu-Ansah also appealed to the government, not to allow party appendage bodies and appointees to make utterances that could heighten the already volatile situation in the educational sector. 13 Oct. 10