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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Clement Apaak has urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to close down schools if the ongoing strike action by pre-tertiary education teachers persists.

According to him, the schools should be closed for the students to return home for their safety and security in the event that the strike would continue for some time.

“As we are all aware, the teacher unions, after failing to get the attention of the government to pay their Cost-of-Living Allowance, have decided to embark on a nationwide strike. Close to 7 million students are currently not benefitting from teaching and learning,” citinewsroom.com reports.

The MP, who is the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Education, also urged the government to address the needs of the teachers.

“We want to urge the government to address the concerns of teachers, so they can go back to the classrooms without any further delay. If this goes on beyond two to three days, it will be advisable for the GES to direct that the schools are closed down for the safety and security of students, but ultimately government bears the responsibility to ensure that the needful is done,” he reportedly said.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union commenced nationwide strike action on Monday, June 4, 2022.

The strike according to the leadership of the teacher unions, is a result of the failure of the government to meet their demand for a 20% Cost of Living Allowance.

“We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike having gone passed the June 30, 2022 deadline we gave government for the payment of Cost-of-Living-Allowance. Consequently, we have decided to embark on a Strike Action, effective today, Monday, July 4, 2022.

“By this, we are informing the general public that, we are withdrawing all our services in all the Pre-tertiary educational space. (Teaching & Non-Teaching Staff),” the group stated in a press release.

The GES has also ordered that all schools should remain open despite the announcement of an immediate strike by teaching and non-teaching staff in the public pre-tertiary sector.

In a statement signed by its Public Relations head, Cassandra Twum Ampofi, the service indicated that the leadership of the teacher unions have been invited for talks with GES management but that heads of basic schools and Senior High Schools have been tasked to ensure the safety of all pupils and students.

“Regional and District Directors have further been directed to ensure that Basic School Heads keep schools opened and closely supervise all children who report to school pending further directives from Management of GES," parts of the statement read.