The Educate Africa Institute (EAI) has called on the government to address the grievances of the striking teachers at various colleges of education instead of freezing their accounts.
This appeal follows the leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) instructing members to withdraw all services in protest of the government’s decision to withhold their July salaries.
In a statement on Tuesday, CETAG outlined that their members would cease attending meetings, participating in congregation ceremonies, providing academic counselling, and supervising students in their halls of residence.
This action is a direct response to the directive from the Minister of Education to the Controller and Accountant General to suspend the July 2024 salaries of teaching staff at the 46 public colleges of education, due to their ongoing strike.
CETAG has justified the strike as a necessary response to their dissatisfaction with their conditions of service. The association believes that withholding salaries is a punitive measure that does not address the root cause of the dispute.
Speaking to Hot FM’s mid-day news, the Executive Director of EAI, Mr. William Boadi, expressed strong disapproval of the salary freeze.
“Not paying the striking teachers is not the best approach to the issue,” Boadi stated.
He urged the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with CETAG to find a resolution that would benefit both the teachers and the education sector.
“Addressing the teachers’ concerns is crucial for the stability and progress of our educational institutions,” he added.
