Cape Coast, – Some students of the University of Cape Coast have expressed support for the imminent closure of the school due to the one month strike action by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).
The students said it was the only way to get government to wake up to the seriousness of the situation and act accordingly.
They observed that government, per its posturing, did not appear interested in the issue, hence the support for the closure despite the potential dire consequences on the academic calendar.
The Ghana News Agency’s sources indicated that the Governing Council of the University was set to meet on Thursday, February 10, 2022, to take a decision on whether to close the school or not.
This is in line with the school’s statute which provides that the institution be closed down after 21 days of academic inactivity.
The campus of UCC is gradually turning a ghost town as more and more students continue to go home even before the order for closure is given, GNA observed Monday.
Students were seen traipsing to and fro as they did not have much to do.
A continuing student, Samuel Korankye, told GNA that he believed about 70 percent of the students had returned home, saying he was still on campus only because he wanted to utilise the hostel he had already paid for.
James Arhinful Korsah, a level 300 student, said, “I support the school management to shut down the school because it is the only way government will listen to the lecturers, as they might with the institution open, they assume we are studying”.
He called on the government and the school authorities to deliberate and come out with some positive solutions not to jeopardise their future.
Endorsing the remarks of her colleagues, a level 200 student, Miriam Ansu said it was better to close the school down because the inactivity on campus was “depressing”.
“The government appears not interested in what the lecturers want and so I think if they close down the school, they will act,” she stressed.
Abdul Raman, a level 300 student, thinks otherwise, saying the closure would have dire consequences on the academic calendar.
“The closure will not sit well with any student like myself because it is going to go against all of us who have paid school and hostel fees. The shutdown is not an option for me,” he added.
He said he was hoping to hear good news by the close of the day “otherwise it is going to be very terrible for some us.”
UTAG embarked on strike on January 10, 2022 to protest what they described as “worsening condition of service”.
The industrial action is, therefore, intended to compel government to implement the 2012 condition of service, which fixed the Basic and Market Premium of a lecturer at $2,084.42.
According to the association, the current arrangement short changes their members by $997.84.
The National Labour Commission (NLC) dragged the striking lecturers to court to compel them to call of their action.
But the High Court in Accra (Labour Division), instead, directed the parties to settle the matter out of court and return on Thursday, February 10, 2022, with the outcome of the settlement.
Meanwhile, the University Students Association of Ghana has threatened to embark on a series of protests should the situation remain the same this week.
Source: Ghana News Agency