The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) will meet with the leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) today, in a bid to resolve the ongoing strike by teachers across the country's colleges.

The meeting, which will take place at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, will address the concerns of CETAG members and potentially bring them back to the classrooms.

The FWSC has invited key stakeholders including the President of CETAG, Prince Obeng-Himah, the Director-General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai, the President of the Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF), Dr Samuel A. Atintono, the Director of Tertiary at the Ministry of Education, Dr Yayra Dzakadzie and the Head of the Public Financial Management Unit (CPMU) at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Augustus Kwasi Adu.

CETAG's strike began on June 14, with teachers from 46 colleges of education laying down their tools to demand improved working conditions and remuneration packages. The action was prompted by delays in implementing the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) Arbitral Award Orders and negotiated service conditions.

The Association's demands include payment of one month's salary for additional duties performed in 2022 and the application of agreed rates of allowances given to public universities to deserving CETAG members.

It has been over 2 months and the government has not been able to resolve the concerns raised by the group.

CETAG President Prince Obeng-Himah revealed that a leadership vote on the continuation or suspension of the strike will also take place on Monday.

He explained that the decision followed a meeting with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on August 16, where discussions were held to address the teachers' grievances.

“Since there was no consensus today to suspend the strike, council members will have to meet with their constituents over the weekend so that we can vote on it on Monday,” Obeng-Himah stated. He added that each council member would base their vote on the assurances given by the Vice President’s office during the August 16 meeting at Jubilee House. “The outcome shall be communicated by the close of day on Monday,” he noted.

In a related turn of events, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) is seeking financial clearance from the Ministry of Education (MoE) to hire 2,500 new teachers.

This recruitment is intended to alleviate the heavy academic workload and ensure a timely start to academic sessions.

Once financial clearance is granted, GTEC will quickly proceed with the recruitment to have the new staff in place as soon as possible.

“The Commission is in serious talks with the Honourable Minister of Education for financial clearance to be granted to GTEC to recruit some two thousand five hundred (2,500) teaching staff to augment the current load for academic work to commence as quickly as possible while we work with CETAG to resolve their concerns.

“GTEC will communicate to you the modalities with which this urgent staff recruitment will be expedited as soon as the clearance is provided,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament's Education Committee, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has criticized the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission's (GTEC) handling of the Colleges of Education Teachers' Association of Ghana's (CETAG) ongoing strike.

He argued that GTEC's focus should be on resolving the strike instead of proposing the hiring of additional tutors.

Dr. Apaak condemned the government for opting for this approach rather than engaging in direct negotiations with the teachers' association.