Education Ministry gives deadline to pay 2021 CETAG allowance

The Ministry of Education (MoE) after the Colleges of Education teachers declared an indefinite industrial action on Thursday over poor conditions of service says the 2021 CETAG allowance will be paid by the end of January 2022.

The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) in a statement copied to EducationWeb.com.gh told members of the Association in the 46 public Colleges of Education to suspend teaching activities until further notice.

“The Association has resolved to withdraw teaching as stipulated in the conditions for Colleges of Education effective Thursday, January 6, 2022. Members are to comply with the directive until further notice,” it said in the statement.

CETAG in a release said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government on September 24, 2021, after reaching an agreement through negotiation on 2017-2020 Conditions of Service (CoS) for members.

But, unfortunately, the months of October and November 2021 ended without any payments being made to members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), a situation that has made them frustrated.

“CETAG members are anxiously and patiently waiting for full payments of the agreed allowances (January 2021 to December 2021) that is the reason why we are embarking on the strike action,” the College teachers said on Thursday.

But, the spokesman for the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng speaking to Kumasi-based Kessben FM said his outfit is in consultations with the Ministry of Finance to settle the allowance by the end of this month (January).

He said the government currently owe the public Colleges of Education teachers responsibility, fuel, entertainment allowance. “List of the 46 Colleges of Education teachers have been submitted to the Finance Ministry,” he added.

“We can assure the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) that by the end of January this year their owed allowance will be paid, the Finance Ministry has issued clearance for the payment,” the spokesman said.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister for Education and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe Constituency has also said the Ministry of Finance (MoF) is currently processing the payment of the unpaid college teachers allowance.

“The allowance will be paid in due course, we have signed and submitted a letter to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to process the payment, so we will urge the leadership of CETAG to exercise patience,” Mr Osei Adutwum noted.