Northern Region pupils left unsupervised as teacher unions begin strike

Pupils in many schools across the Northern Region have been left without supervision after three teacher unions declared a nationwide strike.

A visit to several schools on Monday, September 28, showed that while many pupils reported for classes, there were no teachers present to supervise or teach.

The strike, called by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), has left classrooms empty and school compounds turned into playgrounds.

Some pupils were seen loitering on school premises, while others played football during what should have been contact hours. In a few schools, prefects were attempting to maintain order.

Parents who spoke to JoyNews expressed concern about the safety of their children. They want the government to address the concerns of the teachers so that they can return to the classroom.

"These strikes are not helpful for our children. Instead of learning class, they are playing without any teachers in the school. A lot of contact hours lost." A parent lamented.

Another parent, Jibril Alhassan, said most schools are already deprived in the area, and staying out of class will compound their problems. "Our schools are already deprived with numerous challenges, and then a strike action—you can imagine what it will do to the students. Mr Jibril said,

The strike is also affecting food vendors who rely on schools for their daily income. Madam Hamdia, a food vendor at Betany Primary School, said she arrived at the school on Monday morning only to be informed that the teachers were on strike.

She said sales had been poor since her arrival and appealed to the government to resolve the issues with the teachers so they could return to school and vendors like her could also make a living.

The unions declared the industrial action over unresolved concerns about conditions of service.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.