The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) strike, which lasted from August 1 to September 5, 2023, has left first-year students in colleges of education at a major disadvantage.
The strike resulted in the loss of four valuable weeks from the second semester for these students.
Since the strike ended, there has been no concrete action taken to address its impact( especially the lost weeks) on the academic calendar for these students as it stands.
SEE: UCC End Of Second Semester Examination Timetable for Level 100 Students In Affiliated Colleges Of Education
Sadly, the end-of-semester timetable has been released by some of the mentoring institutions, with examinations scheduled to begin at the end of this month.
The question that arises is whether these students were able to cover all the necessary topics within the limited time available.
The answer to this question is a resounding no. It is simply impossible to complete all the required topics, especially when four weeks of instructional time have been lost.
This means that these students, who are new to the college system, are going to pay dearly for an offense they never committed, by writing an end of semester examination on topics and courses they never completed.
Check: College of Education Level 100 End of Second Semester Examination Dates
Truth be told, it is unfair to expect them to pay the price for a strike that was beyond their control.
Another important question that needs to be addressed is whether the mentoring universities, which are responsible for setting the examination questions, have taken into consideration the impact of the strike on these young students.
Are they setting questions that cover only the topics that were taught during the limited time available, or are they including questions from the entire syllabus?
Read also: The Inimical Impact of the Double Track System on Colleges of Education
This is a crucial concern that needs to be addressed to ensure fairness and equal opportunities for these students.
The first-year students in colleges of education deserve a fair chance to succeed in their academic pursuits.
Measures should be taken to adjust the academic calendar(if possible) and additional support must be made available to these students to ensure that they are not unfairly disadvantaged by a strike action.
Check [PDF]: Level 100 Second Semester College of Education Past Questions|DOWNLOAD HERE|
We humbly ask the relevant authorities to address these concerns and take appropriate action to mitigate the negative impact of the strike on these students.
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