The leaders of several Students Representative Councils (SRC) have demanded that President Akufo-Addo intervenes in the University Teachers Association of Ghana’s (UTAG) strike.
According to them, his silence on the subject has been too deafening.
Although public institutions reopened seven weeks ago, classes have yet to resume since the strike has halted academic activities.
Julius Kwame Anthony, General Secretary of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), feels that if the President engages teachers, they would return to their posts.
Mr Anthony said on JoyNews’ The Probe that, despite the fact that government institutions are engaging UTAG, none of them have obtained the expected results.
“There is one individual who has not spoken on this matter and we need him to do that and that person is the President of the Republic.
“So it will make a lot of difference because he is the head of government and he speaks and things move. If he gives instructions all these people will obey so he should come and state his position on the matter,” he stated.
The NUGS General Secretary, on the other hand, was opposed to students immediately contemplating demonstrating.
According to him, SRC Presidents should seek the President for a meeting to resolve the problem amicably.
“Last year, we did that and it was not long after that action was taken. So I think it is only after meeting the President and if nothing happens then we can demonstrate,” he intimated.
Meanwhile, UTAG Executives have encouraged members to follow through on their resolve to return to the classroom today, Monday, February 28, 2022.
However, a survey conducted by the UTAG’s National Executive Council reveals that public institutions have overwhelmingly rejected the proposal to take up their tools.
The majority of professors at the country’s seven public institutions voted against UTAG’s National Executive Committee (NEC) decision to stop its statewide strike.
Lecturers from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), the University of Ghana, Legon, the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), and the SD-Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies are among those who disagree.
According to the results of the polls taken at these seven public institutions, an overwhelming majority of professors do not want UTAG to call a halt to its statewide strike.
The University of Cape Coast and other member institutions have yet to vote on the decision of the NEC.
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SOURCE: myjoyonline
