GTUC Lecturers’ Strike Frustrates Students, Puts Exams in Doubt

Students of the Ghana Technology University College who were expected to start their end of semester examination today [Monday], have been left frustrated, following a strike by their lecturers.

The students were stranded in their various lecture halls, following the decision by their lecturers to down their tools.

Citi News gathered that the lecturers embarked on the action last week over unpaid salary arrears.

The students have expressed concerns that the strike could negatively affect the conduct of the exams itself or the grading of their papers by the frustrated lecturers.

One of the agitated students said: “I think they should sort out the lecturers first because if they don’t do that and we should write exams, they can decide not to mark our papers or they can decide to do everything to make us fail and then resit. If we are resitting too we have to pay.”

Another student described the strike as an “impromptu decision” expressing his dismay at the distance he would have to travel back home if the exams are cancelled.

“I stay very far so going back is a bit of a hustle for me,” he said.

Meanwhile, management of GTUC says it is hopeful the strike will be called off soon.

Speaking to Citi News, the Vice President of the university, Professor Abeiku Blankson, said he expects a meeting with the faculty to yield positive results.

“My understanding now is that the leadership is calling a meeting to decide on what to do because the leaders are not calling off the strike so the entire faculty has to meet to do that so that it is resolved. We also met with key stakeholders and decided to reschedule the exam so that it favors the students. We did not want to be agitated.”

‘We’re not in financial crisis’

A few months ago, the GTUC debunked claims that it was in a financial crisis after it was alleged that lecturers had not been paid for more than 2 months.

The report had quoted the GTUC Lecturers Association as having said that the “Government must urgently intervene to save the University from the current state of financial crisis.”

“The financial issues must be addressed so it does not affect other parts of the academic process which has been running successfully,” Chairperson of the College’s Lecturers Association, Dr. Kweku Arthur, is reported to have said.

But the school subsequently denied the claims.

In its release, it said, “The Management of GTUC wishes to state categorically that the University College is not in any sort of financial crisis as alleged by the GTUC Lecturers Association.”