Teachers, students desert classrooms as strike continues despite NLC directive

The strike by teachers protesting the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service is adversely affecting academic activities in schools.

The strike is still in force despite the National Labour Commission’s directive to the teachers to end the strike.

Some teachers and students have deserted classrooms in public basic and senior high schools in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.

The three teacher unions have, since Friday 4th November 2022, been on strike to impress on the government to revoke the appointment of the new Director-General of Ghana Education Service.

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

The absence of teachers in schools has compelled students to equally stay out of classrooms, as barely half of many schools’ population were present in some areas Citi News visited.

Some headmasters who spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity expressed worry about the situation, indicating that it may only improve next week.

According to them, the strike was heavily felt from Tuesday, when the attendance of students began dwindling due to the absence of many teachers.

At Amakom Abrotia M/A basic schools in Kumasi for instance, the headmaster for the school, Antwi Agyei-Frimpong told Citi News the situation there has not been any different.

“We are here and today is the same as yesterday… we are hoping the situation gets improved,” she said.