Teacher trainees across Ghana’s 47 public Colleges of Education are facing an uncertain future as the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) continues its industrial action.
The Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG), the official voice for these students, has voiced its deep concern and frustration over the ongoing disruption, calling for an urgent resolution to the dispute.
The latest strike, which began on January 2, 2025, is a result of the government’s failure to meet the demands of CETAG regarding their conditions of service and prior agreements.
CETAG had initially suspended their strike action in August 2024 following negotiations, with a deadline of October 31st for the government to address their concerns. However, with the government failing to act, CETAG has returned to the picket lines.
SEE ALSO: CETAG Declares Indefinite Strike
TTAG, in a statement released on January 7, 2025, expressed their understanding of CETAG’s grievances. “We empathize with CETAG and acknowledge their frustrations as they are making legitimate demands,” the statement reads.
However, they also emphasized the significant impact the strike is having on trainees.
“The impact of the strike on Teacher Trainees has been severe,” TTAG stated. “Time has been wasted, resources misused and, more especially, Level 400 students are struggling to manage additional expenses such as rent, utilities, and feeding costs as they stay off-campus.”
The disruption comes at a critical time, with colleges scheduled to reopen on January 13, leaving students in a state of limbo.
SEE ALSO: Colleges of Education Reopening Date for 2024/2025 Academic Year
In the statement, TTAG revealed that it has been actively seeking a solution, having “consistently engaged the relevant stakeholders to seek lasting solutions.”
However, they lament that “it is unfortunate that the government is unable to honor its commitments.”
In a bid to move forward, TTAG disclosed it has reached out to the incoming President’s office, hoping to schedule a meeting to discuss a way forward.
“We have reached out to the Office of the President-Elect of the Republic of Ghana to schedule a meeting to discuss the way forward,” the statement explained.
SEE ALSO: Calling off strike not an option – CETAG tells GTEC
Despite the uncertainty, the association urged all teacher trainees to remain calm as they seek a lasting solution to the situation.
The association concluded by appealing to all relevant stakeholders to “urgently meet the demands of CETAG in order to ensure a smooth academic journey of Teacher Trainees across the Colleges of Education and the education sector.”
SEE ALSO: No supervision of project work and macro-teaching until last pesewa is paid – CETAG declares
