The industrial action comes just weeks after universities resumed for a new academic year.

Announcing the decision, the leader of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Chris Piwuna, described the decision as “inevitable” due to what he said were government failures.

The government has urged lecturers to reconsider the strike, stressing that constructive dialogue remains the best way to resolve the crisis.

The government added that striking lecturers can expect not to be paid under the country’s “No Work, No Pay” labour law.

In a statement, it said it had made a comprehensive offer to the union addressing key issues such as working conditions, institutional governance and staff welfare.

The government added that it was still awaiting ASUU’s official response.

Nigeria’s university lecturers have a long history of industrial action over issues of funding, salaries, and welfare.

ASUU’s disputes with successive governments date back to the 1980s.

Agreements reached in 1992, 2009, and 2013 have often gone unfulfilled, prompting repeated strikes.

The last major one in 2022 lasted for eight months, disrupting the academic calendar and affecting millions of students nationwide.

It took an industrial court to stop the strike and force the teachers to go back to the classrooms.

Observers say these recurring strikes reflect deeper structural challenges in Nigeria’s higher education sector, including chronic underfunding, politicised management and a persistent lack of trust between the government and university unions.

Source: BBC

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After three union called off its strike action which affected academic activities, expectations were high for fruitful discussions to address the teachers’ grievances.

The unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT). 

However, the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, has said the government’s lack of preparedness is a betrayal of trust and a display of bad faith.

“The dragging of feet by the government is deeply concerning. After calling off our industrial action in good faith, we expected a proactive approach to addressing our concerns. Instead, we are met with delays and unpreparedness,” Musah lamented in an interview with Adom News.

According to him, there is a growing frustration among the teacher unions over the government’s handling of the negotiations.

Mr. Musah has therefore cautioned the public not to blame them should the situation escalate into another strike at the pre-tertiary level.

The potential impact of such a strike cannot be understated.

Disruptions to pre-tertiary education could have far-reaching consequences, affecting the academic progress and well-being of countless students across the country.

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This was when the NLC was meeting leaders of teacher unions, Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and others.

The protestors assembled outside the NLC office while management engaged in discussions with government officials.

Background:

On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) jointly announced a nationwide strike due to the government’s delay in responding to the renewal of their collective agreements and other pressing issues.

Among the key grievances cited are the continued withholding of teachers’ salaries, unilateral alterations to timetables without prior consultation with the unions, and delays in the distribution of laptops to teachers.

Watch video below:

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Three teacher unions: the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH) have laid their tools down pressing on the government to improve the condition of service of members.

The teachers began the indefinite industrial action on March 21, 2024.

But the parents of the affected pupils have called on the government to meet the demands of the teachers.

“This cannot continue like this, Nana Addo should intervene because our children’s lives are at risk” Mr Kaakyire Kusi, a parent told Adom News in an interview in Sunyani.

“These frequent strikes are having a huge toll on our children and the government must act swiftly” Grace Ashitey, another concerned mother indicated.

For Madam Abena Nyamekye “Everyday teachers are going on strike and that is unacceptable”.

During a round visit to some of the basic schools in the Municipality, Adom News noticed academic work was not progressing, as some students played in the schools.

As of 10:30 am on Tuesday, only five teachers were idling at the SDA Primary and JHS.

At the St. Anselm Anglican JHS, there were only nine teachers with few students, but the Boahene Kokor Presby ‘A, and ‘B’ primary were closed.

The situation was not different from Sunyani M/A school. Only about seven teachers had reported at the time of the visit.

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The Commission’s Chief Executive, Benjamin Arthur, on JoyNews’ PM Express was disappointed that the industrial action was carried out without prior notice to relevant stakeholders including the FWSC and the National Labour Commission.

According to him, the leadership of these unions had not followed the necessary protocols before declaring the strike.

Thus, leading to what he termed as an “ambush” and surprise to all involved parties.

“The leadership of GNAT, NAGRAT, and CCT-GH failed to notify the employer, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission was not in the known, what was statutory of you to notify the National Labour Commission was also not done, and then all of a sudden, we’re ambushed, everybody is surprised,” he said on Monday.

He questioned the legality and governance of the country in such instances, drawing a parallel with hypothetical strikes in the private sector.

“In the private sector, if tomorrow, unknown to the employer or relevant stakeholders, all the staff decide to embark on a strike, how do we govern this country?” he quizzed.

On Wednesday, March 20, three teacher unions have declared a nationwide strike.

The industrial action stems from the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service’s delay in addressing their conditions of service. They stated that the negotiation of a new collective agreement should have been completed on or before February 29, 2024, but that was not done.

Meanwhile, students in over 500 public senior high schools will receive an iPad under the Ghana Smart School project.

Under this initiative, students will have access to e-learning materials as government commits to leveraging technological innovations to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

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On  March 20, the three teacher unions namely, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Ghana National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) declared an official strike due to unsatisfactory conditions of service.

According to the unions, the government had failed to renew its collective agreement, among other concerns, following its expiration in 2023.

They argued that since all efforts to get the government to the negotiation table have proven futile, laying down their tools was their last resort.

However, students who are at the receiving end of the impasse between the government and their teachers have been sharing their concerns with JoyNews.

A third-year student at St. Paul RC Basic School at Caprice, Accra, Samuel, said that without the guidance of his teachers, he might not be adequately prepared for the upcoming BECE examination.

“We have only three months left to write our BECE, and if there are no teachers, how are we going to write our BECE? So we need teachers to come and help us learn to pass our BECE examination,” he said.

Meanwhile, Samuel said that he has joined a study group to make good use of his time.

“We have to learn on our own. We teach ourselves sometimes and find someone who understands other subjects to take over and teach us for us to cope”, he explained.

Another student of the same school added that schools now close earlier than usual, while students have been advised to study on their own.

“We are going home because of the strike, and we were told to learn on our own. Our seniors in JHS three came to watch over us while we study, and we are coming to write exams soon. If we don’t learn too, we will fail,” she claimed.

The students are calling on the government to promptly address the teachers’ concerns to ensure that teaching and learning can resume, and to prevent mass exam failures.

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Most schools were compelled to close early as the teachers carried through their indefinite strike over delay in addressing their conditions of service.

Some final-year students in the Oforikrom municipality who spoke to Joy News say preparation for their upcoming examination will be affected if their teachers remain on strike.

“We are supposed to be studying today but our teachers are on strike. The government should listen to their concerns Because of the strike, we leave school at 12, it’s disturbing. We beg the government to listen to the concerns of our teachers” the students begged.

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On Wednesday, March 20, teacher unions comprising the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT-Gh) embarked on indefinite strike due to the government’s delay in renewing their collective agreements, among other concerns.

According to the Technical Advisor of the Ministry, Bright Wireko Brobbey, his office seeks to address the concerns raised by the teacher unions by seeking common ground. This has forced the Ministry to summon stakeholders to the negotiation table in order to resolve their differences.

Speaking on JoyFM’s Newsnight on March 20, he said“ I have spoken with their leadership, we are meeting them God willing on Friday morning to ensure that the government side, that is the Fair Wages and Salary Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the mother ministry, the Ministry of Education, are meeting to address all these things. We  should not go beyond Monday to address the issue of strike.”

He insisted that despite the general notion that the government is unconcerned about the plight of its citizens, this approach serves to reiterate the government’s commitment to securing its people.

“As I speak to you formal invitation letters have been sent to all the unions. God willing Friday we will meet and I am sure by the end of the meeting based on the resolutions and how far we are going and how far they will see that the government is committed to addressing those issues, we should be able to get it through,” he added

Mr Brobbey clarified that the ministry was often kept in the dark about most of the concerns raised by the teacher unions, and it was frequently brought into the picture at the eleventh hour.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that after the meeting on Friday, all parties would reach an agreement, thereby resolving the impasse.

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This comes after the National Labour Commission secured a restraining order against the unions from continuing with their strike.

They have, therefore, decided to return to the classrooms for academic activities which were brought to a grind to resume.

They have, however, warned that they would not hesitate to lay down their tools again if their concerns are not addressed.

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The unions; Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers, and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers on November 4, 2022, declared a strike action.

The industrial action brought teaching and learning in public kindergarten, primary, JHS, SHS, and universities.

Meanwhile, they are expected to engage the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to address their concerns on Wednesday.

The deceased is said to have gone to the river with his friend to swim when the unfortunate incident happened on Monday, November 7, 2022.

A resident, Obiri Yeboah, who narrated the unfortunate incident, said a team was sent to the scene and managed to rescue the other boy who is still alive and responding to treatment at Dabaa Government Hospital.

However, they struggled before they were able to retrieve David’s body until the chief of Dabaa performed some rituals.

“The students went to school and they were told that teachers are on strike so they closed. If the students were in school this unfortunate incident wouldn’t have happened,” he lamented on Ambassador TV.

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Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been deposited at Mount Sinai Morgue at Taabre, pending autopsy.

Taking particular note of the ongoing strike action in the pre-tertiary education sector to protest the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as new Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Apaak noted that that was the most preventable of all the strikes currently ongoing.

“I believe that this matter can be resolved very quickly because their strike is not based on conditions of service by and large, it is not precipitated by any other factor, but it is precipitated primarily with their disagreement and opposition to the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah to serve as the Director General of the Ghana Education Service which they reject to. And I believe they have proffered very reasonable arguments to justify their decision to oppose that appointment,” he said on JoyNews’ PM Express.

According to him, the strike action which is adversely affecting the education of some 8million Ghanaian pupils and students can simply be halted if the appointing authority, that is, the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, rescinds the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah.

“So for me, if the appointing authority, in this case the President who acted in making this appointment upon the recommendation of the Sector Minister wants to end this strike he can just do it by a simple pronouncement.

“I mean, I cannot see why 400,000 teachers have to leave classroom to the detriment of over 8million students and pupils because of one appointment that has been made which the teacher unions deem to be unacceptable as far as their standards are concerned,” he said.

Dr Apaak noted that while it may be argued that the President’s decisions are final in matters of appointment, it is only right for the President to do the necessary engagement and background checks to ensure that his appointments do not cause the kind of ruckus happening now.

“Yes the argument has been made that there is no law and that perhaps, you know, nobody has the power to challenge the President’s authority in appointing, well and good.

“But when you are functioning within the space of stakeholders, where you know that there are elements within the space who also have interest, who are professionals, one of the things you ought to do is to always do some background diligent work to ensure that whomever you’re going to bring on board is generally acceptable to principally those who are in the middle of that theatre, and this is the about 400,000 teachers. That was not done.

“And I believe if that was done …the insensitivities that greeted the ouster of the former Director General of the Ghana Education Service Professor Opoku Amankwah, we will not be here,” he said.

A strike by teacher unions over the appointment of the new Ghana Education Service (GES) Director-General has brought academic work in schools to a halt.

Three teacher unions on Friday declared a nationwide strike over the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah, a banker as the Director-General of Education.

They are the National Association of Graduate Teachers, the Ghana National Association of Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers.

The industrial action took effect on Friday, November 4, 2022, but the impact on teaching and learning activities was felt as pupils reported to school on Monday, November 7.

Checks by Adom News‘ reporters in most schools nationwide revealed pupils were present with no teachers while others were completely closed down.

Some students in Bole for instance also returned home while others played around after their own colleagues supervised the morning assembly.

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At the Nkwanta South M/A Schools, Obrempongba Owusu reported some pupils were  busily playing while the Nkwanta M/A JHS “C” classrooms were locked with padlocks.

Kwadwo Mensah Aborampah, who visited the Kaneshie Kingsway Cluster of Schools, observed that some teachers were in school but were in dilemma whether to teach or not.

But in some parts of the Central Region, Kofi Adjei reports some pupils took it upon themselves to lead their colleagues through the day’s lesson.

Watch the videos attached for more:

School Authorities have been compelled to rely on National Service Personnel (NSP) in the absence of the striking teachers.

Four teacher unions are currently on strike over their demand for the 20 percent Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).

According to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, the use of NSP is part of a contingency plan rolled out to mitigate the effect of the strike.

“The contingency plan, I am aware that National Service Personnel are at post and they are helping together with the directors of education, both at the regional and the district levels with some school Management,” he said.

He stated that the Ministry is working to resolve the issue for the teachers to resume their posts.

“We hope that as soon as possible, we are able to address the concern that has been raised by our teacher unions so that we get things back to normal. But we are saying that in the interim, we appreciate and we continue to appreciate that they try to at least soften their stance, have a considerate position ahead of any future engagement that we will have,” he pleaded.

Four teacher unions declared an indefinite nationwide strike – effective Monday, July 4 – over demands for the payment of COLA.

The unions comprise the Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers, the Teachers and Educational Workers Union and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana.

They have vowed not to return to the classroom until government pays the COLA.

The Service also asked heads of basic schools not to shut down their facilities.

On Monday, the leadership of various teacher unions in the Pre-Tertiary Education Sector embarked on an indefinite strike due to government’s failure to grant them a 20% Cost of Living Allowance amidst the current high inflation rate and increase in the price of goods and services, among others.

In a statement reacting to the industrial action, GES said it will readily engage with teachers to ensure they return to their posts.

 The GES further urged parents and guardians to remain calm following the industrial action taken by four teacher unions.

Meanwhile, the Ghana TVET Service says its teaching personnel are not part of the strike being carried out by the said teacher unions.

According to the Service, their teachers are at post providing the needed skills and training to students.

According to Mr Kwamena Ahenakwa Quarshie, it has become a norm for institutions to resort to illegal strikes though not the right path but the only way to get the government to respond to the needs of the citizens.

Speaking on NewsFile on Joy News, Saturday, Mr Quarshie, said the commitment of the employer to let the employees have their salaries is in doubts and that was the issue the teachers were tackling.

“The point is that the employer who is supposed to prepare the data for them to pay us didn’t do the work. I admit the strike by the teachers was illegal but in this country, we use illegal strike to get things done,” he said.

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According to Mr Angel Carbonu, certain comments about the strike are creating impressions which have put the teacher unions in a bad light.

“Most of the people condemning us over the strike action are either ignorant or hypocrites. Why is someone trying to pinhole us into New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress politics? he quizzed.

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“I don’t know what is wrong with some people who are creating the impression that we are just complaining about our arrears. It seems people suddenly have selective amnesia,” he said angrily.

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The Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers on Thursday declared a nationwide strike which took effect from Monday, December 9 over unpaid arrears.

To Mr Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the government is following due processes to ensure each teacher owed is paid.

“The arrears owed the striking teachers is about GHc8 million and we asked them at a stakeholders’ meeting to wait for two weeks so by December 19, 2019, we will begin payments,” he assured.

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According to Mr Assafuah, the government would have paid the salary arrears to affected teachers had it not been anomalies detected in data provided.

“After detecting some anomalies in the payment of the arrears, there was the need to verify the genuineness of the payments before the affected teachers will be paid so vetting and validation are ongoing,” he added.

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The three teacher unions ; Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers declared a strike on December 5, 2019, after series of failed engagements with the government on legacy arrears incurred between 2012 and 2016.

The strike, which took effect from Monday, December 9, had members of the union abandon their post, leaving pupils in the care of national service personnel.

According to Mr Angel Carbonu, members will continue to vacate their post until an amicable agreement is reached on the payment of arrears.

“Those who think politicising the strike would return us to the classrooms are joking. We won’t ever return,” he said.

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Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, Mr Carbonu stressed that the strike is not to incite or make any government look good in the eyes of Ghanaians.

“It is a palpable falsehood to claim we never strike over the arrears under the Mahama administration. We are not interested in who is in power or not and we are not embarking on any change of government agenda with this strike,” he clarified.

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