The Minority in Parliament is pushing for the closure of public universities in the country amid the strike embarked upon by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).
They argue students are exposed to various levels of danger while on campus with no academic activities in progress.
The Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee, Clement Apaak has said the continuous stay of students on campuses will expose them to danger, citing among others, the death of a first-year student who drowned at the University of Ghana’s swimming pool.
The call for closure comes ahead of a meeting with the striking lecturers scheduled for Thursday, February 17, 2022.
But, Dr Apaak doubts the committee’s capability to persuade the lecturers to return to the classroom.
Speaking to Joy News, the Builsa South MP asked President Akufo-Addo to show leadership by ensuring the impasse is resolved.
Africa Education Watch last week called on Vice-Chancellors to close down all public universities until the UTAG strike is called off.
The Africa Education Watch observed that five weeks of industrial action is yet to achieve any significant progress in negotiating a settlement to the impasse, hence the call for the closure of the Universities.
A statement issued on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, by EduWatch said it will be in the best interest of students; especially, freshmen and their families for the schools to be closed down because there is no closure to the impasse now.
The University Teachers Association of Ghana’s strike is still in force after its meeting with the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum ended inconclusively.
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Listen to Dr Apaak in the audio below: