The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission has cautioned public universities against permitting the ongoing industrial action by members of the Ghana Association of University Administrators and the Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana to interfere with critical institutional and student services.
The Commission stressed that, although workers have the right to embark on lawful industrial action, universities are expected to maintain services considered essential to the effective functioning of their institutions and the welfare of students.
Among the services identified by the Commission are end of semester examinations, auditing activities, internet and telecommunications systems, student portals, academic registration platforms, healthcare services, sanitation and janitorial operations, financial administration, salary processing and other essential payments.
GTEC warned that any deliberate or unlawful interruption of these critical functions could have serious consequences and may amount to a violation of provisions contained in the Labour Act and other applicable legislation.
The warning comes as the industrial action by members of GAUA continues to affect academic and administrative operations across some public universities.
At the University of Health and Allied Sciences, for instance, the strike has reportedly contributed to the suspension of scheduled examinations, raising concerns about the potential disruption of academic calendars and the ability of students to complete their programmes within the expected timeframe.
Other public tertiary institutions are also assessing the implications of the action as university administrators and relevant stakeholders seek to manage the impact on students and institutional operations.
GTEC has consequently appealed to members of both GAUA and TUSAAG to exercise restraint and conduct their industrial action in accordance with Ghanaian labour laws.
The Commission’s intervention underscores the delicate balance between the rights of university administrators to pursue their employment related grievances and the obligation of public institutions to preserve services that directly affect students and the broader university community.
As the strike persists, the Commission is expected to monitor developments across public universities to ensure that essential academic, administrative, financial and welfare services remain available while the parties work towards resolving the issues underlying the industrial dispute.
