Teachers at all 46 Colleges of Education in Ghana began an indefinite nationwide strike on Monday, citing the government’s failure to honor a labour award issued over two years ago.
The action was announced by Fidelis Kamaayi, National Secretary of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), who accused the National Labour Commission (NLC) of neglecting its duty to enforce the May 2, 2023 arbitral award.
The award mandates payment of outstanding allowances and compensation to teaching staff across the country. Speaking to local media, Kamaayi warned that prolonged inaction could severely disrupt the academic calendar.
CETAG’s grievances include unpaid compensation for all-year-round work performed in 2022 at 39 colleges, incomplete payments to Accra College of Education, and arrears of Book and Research Allowances for the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic years.
The union also raised concerns about unpaid top-up allowances for the 2021/2022 academic year at Akrokerri College and the controversial downgrading of experienced lecturers holding master’s degrees; a move they say undermines professional dignity and violates Ghana’s Labour Act.
