The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), has requested government to address issues of compensation and conditions of service of teachers.

According to the Association, it will give government a deadline of August 31, 2022, for its demands to be met. It expressed disappointment and displeasure over government’s handling of the matter when it comes to the welfare of tutors of the forty six public colleges of education across the country.

Contained in a statement signed by the national President, Prince Obeng Himah, it revealed that it has overtime witnessed with “uneasiness” government’s relaxed attitude in ensuring tutors in the colleges of education are given “full and better conditions of services” to encourage them to give off their best. It explained that better conditions of service will lead to the churning and training of pre-tertiary teachers who will in turn train the future leaders of the country.

“CETAG wishes to serve clear notice that if by 31st August 2022, government has not given us our conditions of service which include our demand for unconditional extension of the parallel rate of generic and research allowances paid to analogous tertiary institutions to the academic staff of the colleges of education and compensation package to tutors for the all-year-round academic work, all members of CETAG across the 46 public colleges of education shall strongly advise ourselves.”
CETAG

Engagement of CETAG with government

Among other things, CETAG cited the undue delay of government in giving its members full conditions of service in spite of engaging leadership of the Association since August 2021. This attitude, it indicated, contravenes article 24 clause 1 of the 1992 constitution.

Additionally, CETAG expressed the failure of government to act on the association’s demands for a “compensatory package” for academic staff in colleges of education who have been compelled to work all year round without taking a compulsory vacation. It noted that this goes contrary to provision of the Harmonised Conditions of Services for the Colleges of Education.

“This all-year round academic work for tutors also sharply contravenes the 1992 constitution… which explicitly states that every worker shall be assured of rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periods of holidays with pay as well as remuneration for public holidays.”
CETAG

The national council of CETAG in January this year, went on strike over the non-implementation of 2017-2020 conditions of service. In a statement suspending its industrial action, the council stated that validation of January 2022 salaries have, however, confirmed the implementation of the conditions.

President of CETAG, Mr Prince Obeng-Himah, revealed that although the government had indicated it would pay members what was due them, it had to discuss the issue with members before deciding whether or not to call off the strike.

Mr Obeng-Himah noted that after the association’s announcement of a strike action, it was called to a meeting by representatives of the government during which it was asked to call off its action, then giving the assurance that whatever was due members would be paid at the end of January.