The Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) is making a heartfelt appeal to the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) to immediately suspend its ongoing strike action and return to lectures by Tuesday, August 7, 2024. This appeal comes after careful consideration of the concerns raised by CETAG regarding the delayed implementation of the arbitration awards by the National Labour Commission (NLC) on the migration of staff onto the universities' payroll structure, the payment of the All-Year-Round Allowance for 2022, and the Book and Research Top-Up Allowances.
PRINCOF acknowledges and appreciates the concerns of CETAG members, but believes that their return to the lecture rooms will pave the way for a speedy resolution of the issues. The appeal is based on the fact that CETAG and the Government signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, with a clear roadmap for the implementation of the NLC arbitrary awards, which were the reasons for the CETAG strike.
PRINCOF is of the view that the Government's commitment to addressing CETAG's concerns is evident in the concrete actions taken, and therefore, CETAG should equally demonstrate its commitment to the MoA by returning to the classroom. The continuous strike action will further disrupt the academic calendar, which can have repercussions for academic work.
As the immediate employers of CETAG members, PRINCOF has evidence that the implementation of the NLC awards has started, and they have been actively engaging with the Government to address these concerns in a speedy manner. The state of the implementation of the NLC awards is as follows:
- The Book and Research Top-Up Allowance has been paid by CAGD to Colleges of Education through GIFMIS and will hit CETAG members' accounts by August 9, 2024, as per the MOA.
- The All-Year-Round data validated by Principals have been submitted to GTEC for onward submission to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for payment. PRINCOF is strongly facilitating it to meet the agreed deadlines in the MoA.
- The migration of staff from the Colleges of Education salary structure to the Universities salary structure by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) began on July 29, 2024, and is expected to end in four weeks' time. As per the agreement, PRINCOF, CETAG, and CENTSAG are to meet the migration team weekly to receive reports and address any fallouts.
PRINCOF wishes to reiterate that they have the welfare of CETAG members at heart and will continue to work for their benefit. However, CETAG needs to return to the lecture halls to allow for fruitful engagement and speedy resolution of the issues, including the frozen July 2024 salary.
PRINCOF is poised to intervene on behalf of CETAG members who resume their teaching duties by Tuesday, August 6, 2024, to ensure the prompt payment of their July salaries.
The cooperation of CETAG in this matter will go a long way in demonstrating their shared dedication and commitment to teacher education and the well-being of their students. PRINCOF looks forward to the immediate return of CETAG members to the lecture halls for the resumption of academic work.
In conclusion, PRINCOF's appeal to CETAG is a genuine attempt to find a solution to the ongoing strike action and ensure the smooth continuation of academic work. CETAG's return to the lecture halls will not only benefit their members but also the students who are eagerly waiting to continue their education. PRINCOF is committed to working with CETAG to address their concerns and ensure the well-being of their members.
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