Let the promise work
The role of Colleges of Education and the teachers they produce in Ghana’s education delivery system cannot be overstated.
The quality of learning outcomes at the basic level is directly linked to the quality of training our teachers receive.
Any disruption in the smooth running of these colleges, therefore, poses a serious risk to the nation’s educational foundation.
That is why the recent strike by members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has been a matter of deep concern.
Since Monday, November 24, 2025, CETAG has been on an indefinite nationwide strike, effectively crippling academic work in all 46 public Colleges of Education.
For months, teacher trainees have been left in uncertainty as their lecturers withdrew their services over unpaid entitlements for the 2023/2024 academic year, amounting to about GH¢41 million.
There is no doubt that CETAG’s grievances are legitimate.
More than two years have passed since the National Labour Commission (NLC) issued its arbitral award in their favour, yet government compliance has lagged. Under such circumstances, organised labour has the right to demand what is due its members.
The decision by CETAG’s National Executive Committee, in consultation with its National Council at an emergency meeting on November 19, 2025, to embark on an indefinite strike was therefore not taken lightly.
That said, prolonged industrial action in the education sector always comes at a cost.
In this case, the burden falls heavily on teacher trainees whose academic progression and career planning are disrupted.
The future of basic education ultimately depends on these trainees, and any delay in their preparation affects the entire system.
Government officials have not been silent on the matter. Several institutions have attempted to persuade the lecturers to return to the classroom while negotiations continue.
On December 22, 2025, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, personally appealed to CETAG to resume teaching in the interest of industrial harmony and the academic future of students.
He assured the association that the government was mobilising the GH¢41 million needed to settle the arrears.
Support for this position has come from within the education sector.
The President of the Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF), Professor Samuel Awinkene Atintono, commended the government for paying about 80 per cent of outstanding All-Year Round allowances.
He nonetheless urged the ministry to expedite the payment of the Book and
Research Allowances to prevent further disruption to the academic calendar.
Fortunately, the strike period coincided largely with the trainees’ long vacation.
Students are expected back on campus on February 9, 2026 — a date the Education Minister has publicly indicated should mark the full resumption of academic work across the colleges.
The Daily Graphic takes the minister at his word. While the Ministry of Education itself does not release funds, such a public assurance suggests a high level of confidence that the necessary resources will be made available.
As the saying goes, if a visually impaired person threatens to throw a stone, it likely means they have one within reach.
Even so, public trust must be protected. Every effort must be made to ensure the promised funds are released and disbursed before or by the February 9 deadline.
Delivering on this commitment will strengthen confidence between the government and CETAG and help restore stability on campuses.
With this assurance on the table, the onus also lies on the lecturers to consider the broader national interest.
The trainees have already stayed home for a long time, and further delays could distort the academic calendar and affect their professional development.
A spirit of compromise will serve all parties better.
The Daily Graphic therefore urges continuous dialogue, good faith negotiations and open communication as the surest tools for resolving such disputes.
Industrial tensions are best lowered at the negotiating table, not through prolonged stand-offs.
Ultimately, while government and CETAG negotiate, it is the trainees — the country’s future teachers — who suffer most.
Their hopes, plans and careers hang in the balance.
We remain confident that the necessary payments will be made and that lectures will resume as scheduled.
Ghana’s education system deserves stability, and our future teachers deserve certainty. Now is the time to let the promise work.
