UTAG Intended Strike to Affect Students

By Esther Korantemaa Offei

As the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) maintains pressure on the government to resolve concerns over service conditions by June 30 or risk industrial action, many Ghanaians believe students will bear the greatest burden should public university lecturers embark on a nationwide strike.

UTAG has warned that failure by the government to address outstanding issues relating to lecturers’ conditions of service could result in a strike action that may disrupt academic activities across public universities. The warning has reignited concerns among students, parents and education stakeholders over the potential impact of another prolonged shutdown of tertiary education.

A survey conducted by the New Finder among some Ghanaians revealed a strong consensus that students would be the most affected group if the dispute escalates into a strike.

One respondent explained that although industrial actions often affect multiple stakeholders, students stand to suffer the most because of the irreversible loss of time.

“While a strike creates a domino effect of disruption, students ultimately bear the most severe and irreversible consequences. Lecturers can eventually recover lost salaries through negotiated arrears, and governments may only face temporary political pressure. Students, however, lose something that can never be recovered, and that is time,” the respondent stated.

According to him, prolonged strikes often lead to extended academic calendars, delayed graduations, increased accommodation and living expenses, and postponed entry into the job market.

“Students are forced to put their lives on hold while waiting for lectures to resume. The delay affects their educational and career plans in ways that can have lasting consequences,” he added.

Another respondent also argued that students would emerge as the biggest losers because they continue to incur educational costs without receiving the services they have paid for.

“If public university lecturers embark on a strike, students will always be the ones who suffer the most. They have paid school fees and hostel fees, but the services they expect in return are interrupted because lecturers and government are unable to reach an agreement,” he said.

He further noted that prolonged industrial actions could lead to severe academic disruptions.

“In some cases, strikes can become so prolonged that semesters are affected significantly. Students end up losing valuable academic time, and many of their personal and professional plans are delayed,” he observed.

ent shared similar concerns, stating that academic work would come to a halt immediately should lecturers withdraw their services.

“Students are currently in school, and their studies will be halted for as long as the strike continues. Academic activities will be suspended, and that interruption will have a direct impact on students,” he said.

The respondent acknowledged that government would also feel the effects of the strike but maintained that students would carry the heavier burden.

“The government may be compelled to take urgent measures to resolve the situation and ensure academic activities continue, but students will still be the ones whose education is interrupted,” he added.

Another Ghanaian interviewed said students have historically been at the receiving end of strikes within the education sector because teaching and learning are immediately affected when lecturers stop work.

“Strikes always affect students more because they are usually at the receiving end of the teaching and learning process. If lecturers are not teaching, students are the ones who lose out on the knowledge and skills they are supposed to acquire,” he explained.

He noted that while government may experience some long-term consequences resulting from disruptions in education, the immediate and direct impact falls on students.

“The government may feel some effects in the long term if students are unable to acquire the skills they need because of interruptions in their education. However, both in the short term and long term, students suffer the most,” he said.

The views expressed by respondents highlight growing public concern over the possibility of another disruption to academic activities in Ghana’s public universities. Previous strikes by university lecturers have often resulted in delays in examinations, graduations and academic schedules, affecting thousands of students nationwide.

Education stakeholders have repeatedly called for proactive engagement between UTAG and government to prevent industrial disputes from escalating into full-scale strikes. Many believe early intervention and constructive dialogue remain the best means of safeguarding academic stability and protecting students from the adverse effects of prolonged disruptions. With the June 30 deadline approaching, attention is now focused on ongoing negotiations between the government and UTAG. Students, parents and university administrators will be hoping for a resolution that ensures uninterrupted teaching and learning across the country’s public tertiary institutions.