The ongoing nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions is beginning to take a toll beyond the classroom as it enters its fourth day.
The strike has not only disrupted academic activities but has also forced some students to resort to self-study, while food vendors and other informal traders around schools are counting their losses.
FROM KUMASI KINGSLEY E. HOPE reports that the ongoing nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions has paralysed academic activities across the Ashanti Region, leaving local food vendors facing severe financial losses and first-year students appealing for a swift return to the classroom.
At the Anglican Secondary School area, a food vendor, Yaa Pomah, counted her losses as freshly prepared meals remained unsold.
She lamented that she had come out early, hoping to clear her stock, but with no students around, the food was going to waste.
The situation was equally dire near Kumasi Girls’ Senior High School, where Maame Esi, a roasted plantain vendor, complained about the sharp slump in sales.
Her perishable stock was spoiling quickly, leaving her with mounting debts and no daily income to support her family.
Meanwhile, inside school compounds, first-year students were growing increasingly anxious.
First-year students at Ejisu Senior High School appealed directly to their teachers to end the strike, saying they feared that the prolonged disruption would affect their orientation and academic progress.
Unlike salaried employees, informal traders operating around school gates cannot recover lost daily revenue.
As union executives and government representatives continue negotiations, the vendors and students are calling for an immediate compromise to restore normal academic activities in schools.
Prince Addo Frimpong reports that the ongoing teachers’ strike has also affected academic activities at the Apenkwa Presby School in Accra.
Some Junior High School (JHS) Three students said they had resorted to self-study and peer-led lessons to keep up with their academic work.
It was observed at 9 a.m. on Wednesday that students were present in their classrooms despite the absence of regular teaching and learning activities.
Some students were seen studying among themselves as they sought to minimise the impact of the strike on their academic preparation.
Some JHS Three students who spoke to The Ghanaian Times said the strike was affecting their studies, particularly as they approached an important stage of their education.
They, however, said they were doing their best to continue learning on their own.
According to the students, those who were knowledgeable in particular subjects had taken up the responsibility of leading their colleagues in study sessions.
One JHS Three student said students who were good at Mathematics helped their colleagues understand mathematical concepts and solve questions during their discussions.
She said students who were proficient in English Language led discussions on the subject, explaining difficult areas to their colleagues and helping them improve their understanding of the lessons.
The students said the peer-learning approach was helping them remain academically engaged despite the absence of regular classroom teaching, although it could not fully replace the guidance and instruction provided by their teachers.
At the time of the visit, the headmistress and one other teacher were on campus, while the students remained in their classrooms.
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