KNUST Basic School closed down indefinitely following TEWU, Senior Staff strike

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Academic work was halted at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Basic School following the strike by the Senior Staff at the state-run university.

Classrooms were almost deserted when dailymailgh.com visited the school on Monday, January 25 as most parents and their wards were turned away by the university management.

Parents worried

Some parents told dailymailgh.com said the situation is worrying. They want the impasse resolved.

“This is a big inconvenience to all of us. They said, they announced it last night on our WhatsApp platform, but honestly, I didn’t see it. We live far from campus”, one parent said.

Another, who was a former staff at the KNUST Basic School also said that “the situation is very worrying. We have been home for more than 10 months now and school reopens for one week, and then we have to go back home again. I think those who have embarked on the strike have not done anything bad because what they are asking for is very legitimate.”

The students will have to stay home a while longer after spending nearly 10 months away from school due to COVID-19.

Demands

The members of the Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) are protesting among others the non-payment of their Tier -2 pension arrears and poor conditions of service.

They join the Teachers and Education Workers’ Union (TEWU) who also declared a strike over similar concerns.

The leadership of the KNUST-branch of the Senior Staff Association has directed its members to leave duty posts except for essential services.

Its chairman George Ansong says members will be forced to withdraw all services if the Government fails to address their concerns.

“We are on strike, so we expect everybody to stay home until we hear something positive and call them. Our Tier 2, market premium and non-basic allowance and the failure of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to invite us for negotiations. Until the government satisfies our demands, we are not going to work. All basic school teachers, administrative and financial staff are staying home except the hospital and security will be working”, he said.

UG, UCC Basic Schools shut down

Meanwhile, the Universities of Ghana in Accra and Cape Coast Basic Schools have also shut down over a similar development.

“It is very unfortunate to inform you of a postponement of in our reopening date scheduled for 25th January 2021. A new date of resumption will be communicated to you later”, the management of the University of Ghana Basic School wrote in a letter sighted by dailymailgh.com.

“All sections of the University Basic Schools (KG, Primary, JHS and North Campus) will be closed from Monday, 25th January 2021 until further notice”.

Source: Daily Mail GH