By Seth Danquah, GNA
Takoradi, Oct. 03, GNA – Frustration and anxiety are mounting among parents and students across the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis as the ongoing strike by public school teachers and tertiary unions stretches on with no immediate end in sight.
What began as a labour dispute over unpaid allowances and working conditions has quickly evolved into a domestic crisis for hundreds of families in the twin-city, leaving young children roaming neighbourhoods and tertiary students facing uncertain academic futures.
For parents of basic school pupils, the padlocked school gates mean balancing daily livelihoods with sudden childcare challenges.
Many working parents have been forced to make quick, informal arrangements or leave children unattended during work hours.
Auntie Mary, a mother of three at New Site, a suburb of Takoradi said: “I sell in the market, and usually, my children are safe in school until late afternoon. Now they are at home all day. I am constantly worried about what they are doing, and their education is falling behind while private school children are studying.”
The disruption is particularly alarming for final-year Junior High School students preparing for upcoming national examinations.
Without classroom instruction or teacher guidance, many fear the learning gap would prove difficult to bridge.
The impact extends to higher education as lecture halls at Takoradi Technical University (TTU) remained empty, leaving residential students stranded in hostels and off-campus accommodation.
“We are spending money on rent and food while sitting idle in our hostels. Our academic calendar is completely thrown off. Every day spent on strike is time we lose toward our degrees and future careers,” said a level 300 engineering student at TTU.
Community members and local civil society groups are urging the government and trade union leaders to fast-track negotiations, saying vulnerable youth bear the highest cost of the deadlock.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga /Kenneth Odeng Adade