The Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education-Ghana (PRINCOF) is yet to decide on whether or not to close down the colleges.
Teachers at the Colleges of Education have been on strike for two months over conditions of service, forcing the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG) to call for closure of the colleges.
On June 14, teachers of all the 46 Colleges of Education embarked on a nationwide strike to demand implementation of the arbitral award and conditions of service by the National Labour Commission.
They are also demanding the migration of staff onto the University payroll structure, the payment of the All-Year-Round allowance for 2022, and the Book and Research Top-Up allowances.
Meetings were held to iron out issues and get the teachers back to the classrooms, but to no avail.
The teachers were threatened with non-payment of their July salary, but they could not be bothered.
Students, including first years who reported to school with full anticipation of academic learning could not have the opportunity to be taught by their tutors.
Most of them who could not bear the financial difficulties on the campuses had to go back home with just a few left on the campuses.
It’s been two months of no academic activity, leaving students helpless and frustrated.
On August 9, TTAG urged leaders of PRINCOF, to close down the colleges by Monday, August 12, withhold the examination for this semester and revise the current semester for a fresh one, insisting 54 days of no academic work has rendered the current semester untenable.
The President of PRINCOF, Professor Samuel Atintono said a meeting is yet to be held with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Ministry of Education over TTAG’s demands.
So the question is, will PRINCOF close down the schools and how would the academic calendar which has been disrupted be amended?
