The ongoing strike by the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has left final-year students at Koforidua Asokore SDA College of Education struggling to complete their dissertations.
Dissertation or project work is a research project requirement for degrees.
Kyere Phinihas, former SRC Organizing Secretary, highlighted the severe impact of the strike on students’ academic progress.
“We didn’t have any encounter with our lecturers and we don’t have any course outline or any course manual to at least depend on and learn,” Phinihas explained. “Some students are even at chapter one, some are yet to even discuss this project work with their supervisors, so I think it is really causing a lot to students and most especially we the level 400 that are outside campus.”
The strike, which began on June 14, was initiated in response to the government’s refusal to implement CETAG’s arbitral award and conditions of service. The situation worsened when the government decided to freeze the July salaries of CETAG members, leading to a complete withdrawal of their services.
As a result, approximately 80% of students have left the campus, with lecture halls deserted and some being used by Senior High School students for their studies. Sakyi Sampson Junior, the SRC President, confirmed the dire situation, stating that students are stranded and activities have come to a halt.
“This strike came about a month and more. We were not expecting this when we first experienced it; we thought that it would be a one-week thing, but unfortunately, it has extended to about a month and two weeks,” Sampson said. “Even today that we are having a council meeting by CETAG, we don’t know what will be the outcome of it. My students are stranded, I can say that about 80% of students are home now, which is a problem to us.”
Female students have also expressed their concerns, calling on the government to resolve the impasse swiftly.
Despite the ongoing strike and students’ inability to complete their project work, the college has set August 1, 2024, for its congregation ceremony, with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia slated to be the Guest of Honor.
The SRC President urged the government to negotiate with CETAG to resolve the issue and allow students to return to campus. “All activities have ceased—SRC, college activities, and so many things are not going on,” he said. “The government should come to the negotiation table with CETAG and then sort everything out for us to report to campus again.”
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
