Students Call for the Return of Striking Teachers

19-03-2013                

Third Year Student of BOGISS

As the teachers on-going strike action enters its second day today, students at the various second cycle institutions in the Upper East Region are appealing passionately to GNAT and NAGRAT to consider the plight of BECE and WASSCE candidates by returning to the classroom. According to some final year students at the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School (BOGISS), the on-going strike action is likely to have a bad and irreversible effect on their exams and would therefore urge the leadership of the two teacher groups to rescind their decision whilst government and the Fair Wages and Salary Commission (FWSC) deliberate on the way forward to resolving their grievances. Some of the students Radio Ghana spoke to expressed shock and dismay about the action taken by the teachers, adding that should government renege to heed to their call, the performance of candidates writing this year’s BECE and WASSCE would be disappointing because not all syllabuses have been covered and students would have tough time learning on their own. A final year student of BOGISS, Agyaa Veronica said she would be more than happy if government and the Fair Wages Commission intervene to attend to the striking teachers. She advised her fellow colleagues to sit up and learn as they wait for the authorities concern to address the grievances of the striking teachers. A visit to the Bolgatanga Technical Institute saw students loitering on campus with no teacher attending to them. Some of the teachers were also cited sitting under trees busily conversing with their colleague staff. A staff who spoke to Radio Ghana on condition of anonymity lamented on the plight of teachers, saying their concerns had been ignored for far too long and that government has taken them for granted. He described the on-going strike action as unfortunate adding that his major problem has to do with students who are due to write the technical as well as the General Business Certificate Exams (GBC). Such students, he stated stand the possible risk of performing poorly since psychologically; they are not prepared to write the impending exam. Additionally students would be made to write their end of term exam next academic term if government and the teachers fail to arrive at a workable solution. He expressed the hope that government would respond to the strike action with all the seriousness it deserves so that teachers return to their various classrooms to teach, invigilate and supervise the two student groups. The situation at the primary and junior high schools visited were not different as teachers abandon their classrooms with most spotted walking along the streets heading to their respective homes.  Pupils at Bolgatanga Preparatory Model School that spoke to Radio Ghana added their voice to the call for teachers to re-consider the plight of students by returning to the classroom. But notwithstanding their plea, the Deputy Upper East Regional Secretary for GNAT, Mr. Iddi Dokurugu says the on-going strike action is justifiable adding that government should be solely blamed for the unfortunate turn of event, which he reiterated, was intended to press home their demand for better service conditions. 

GBC                                                   END                                                           IA/