over delay in passage of College of Education Bill

Accra, Jan. 11, GNA -The National Council of Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), on Wednesday threatened to embark on a strike if Government fail to ensure the swift passage of the Colleges of Education Bill by Friday, January 20.

“If pragmatic actions are not taken to pass the bill, we would not be in a position to offer our services, notice of our intentions has been communicated to the various stakeholders,“ the group indicated.

Reverend Francis Kusi-Ababio, Chairman of CETAG, at a press conference, organized by the group in Accra on Wednesday, said the decision was taken by the Executive Council, following failed efforts to interact with the Minister of Education on the issue.

The Council registered what it described as the displeasure of government’s deliberate delay in the passage of the bill to give Colleges of Education the legal framework to operate as full tertiary institutions.

It said: “Our members are highly displeased because of the anxiety, frustration and low morale currently prevailing in the working atmosphere in the Colleges of Education and it can have negative implications on educational development in the country.”

Rev. Kusi-Ababio said “Letters or reminders written to her office on this issue have not been acknowledged, so we will no longer wait before taking the necessary action”.

He said though Government had promised to pass the bill before the end of 2011, nothing was done to fulfil the pledge and that the Council had still not received any indication that the bill would be passed when Parliament resumes sitting this year.

Rev. Kusi-Ababio called on Government to take immediate action to prevent any negative consequence in the delay of the passage of the bill to developmental efforts in the country. The Bill was laid before Parliament about two years ago, in accordance with the Education Act of 2008(Act 778), which provided the mandate for the 38 Public Teacher Training Colleges in the country to be upgraded to tertiary status and offer diploma certificates.