The Director General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai has admonished striking members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) to return to the classrooms.
His call follows the immediate payment of GHC199 million being the first part of the book and research top-up allowances submitted to the Ministry of Finance.
He said the payment can be accessed by the teachers on Monday, July 15, 2024, on the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System.
Professor Ahmed Jinapor Abdulai made the remarks during an interview with Channel One News on the sidelines of the Induction and Investiture of Professor Prince Boateng and the 15th Congregation of the Ada College of Education on Saturday, July 13.
“We want to use this platform to call on all tutors, senior tutors, principal tutors, and faculty of the colleges of education, as a matter of urgency and for the sake of not disrupting the academic calendar and for the sake of their grievances being addressed. There’s empirical evidence to that effect, their research and book top-up, their all-year-round allowances are going to be paid by next week to the next two weeks.
“Starting Monday, they can access the top-up when it comes to research and book allowance. So, I don’t think there’s a need for them to be on strike. I’m just pleading with them, for the sake of not disrupting the calendar, for the sake of the students who are in the classrooms, they should come back to the classrooms.”
CETAG had been on strike since Friday, June 14, 2024, protesting the government’s delay in implementing the arbitral award and negotiated service conditions.
Professor Jinapor Abdulai revealed that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has constituted a committee to see to it that all members of CETAG are placed on the scheme of service of their affiliate universities.
“The commitment is there, efforts have been put in place, and in terms of migration. Fair Wages and Salary Commission has even asked CETAG to bring a representative to sit on the committee, for that process to take place as early as Monday, July 15, so there’s no course for alarm.”
He further indicated that the government has exhibited enough commitment towards addressing all outstanding issues with CETAG.
He noted the importance of the return of the striking teachers to save the academic calendar from further disruptions.
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