By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu, GNA
Keta (VR), Oct. 13, GNA- Teaching and learning have resumed at basic schools in Keta in the Volta Region following the suspension of industrial action by teacher unions after reaching an agreement with the government to address concerns affecting teachers.
Ghana News Agency, observed that, the return to normal academic activities on Monday, the first day of reopening after the two-week strike, was marked by low student attendance at the Keta Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Basic School, Vui Zion Basic, among others with some teachers also absent.
Madam Rebecca Ackume, Headteacher of Keta EP Schooll, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that most students had not returned to school on the first day of resumption, despite the suspension of the industrial action.
“Few teachers are also absent, but I hope and believe that they will return and report to their classrooms soon to support the continuation of academic work,” she said.
Madam Ackume said teachers were unhappy about the strike because of its impact on teaching and learning but explained that industrial action had become necessary to draw attention to challenges confronting the teaching profession.
She explained that teaching and learning had officially resumed and gave an assurance that the school would introduce extra classes to help students recover the lessons lost during the two-week industrial action.
“We are hoping to do some additional lesson classes which will be organised to cover outstanding topics and help students catch up with the academic calendar to minimise the effects of the disruption on their education.”
Madam Ackume appealed to parents and guardians to support their children at home by supervising their assignments, encouraging individual studies, and ensure that they completed other learning activities to bridge the gaps created by the strike.
She commended the government for responding to concerns raised by the teacher unions and said the ongoing validation process was an indication of progress towards addressing some of the issues that led to the industrial action.
She also thanked parents for keeping their children safe during the two-week period and urged all students to return to school promptly and stressed that academic activities were ongoing and every pupil needed to take advantage of the opportunity to resume learning.
Two students of the school, Elorm Gloria Afealetey and Selikem Tenge, in Form Three and Form Two, respectively, expressed relief over the suspension of the strike and commended the teachers and government for reaching an agreement to end the dispute.
They said the strike had affected their studies, although they tried to remain academically engaged through individual and group studies while schools were closed.
The students, however, observed that studying independently could not fully replace the guidance, explanations and classroom interactions they received from their teachers during normal lessons and pledged to study harder and make the necessary efforts to recover the lessons missed during the strike.
They appealed for sustained cooperation between the government and teacher unions to prevent similar disruptions in the future, which they stated that prolonged interruptions to academic activities could affect their preparation for examinations and their overall academic performance.
The suspension of the industrial action followed engagements between the teacher unions and the government, during which both parties agreed to work towards resolving the concerns raised by teachers, and the resumption of classes is expected to restore academic activities, while schools, parents and students work together to address the learning gaps resulting from the two-week strike.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah /Kenneth Odeng Adade