The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has rejected calls to close Teacher Training Colleges amid the ongoing strike by the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), which began on June 14 over unmet conditions of service.

Professor Francis K. E. Nunoo, GTEC's Deputy Director General, stated that closing the colleges would have severe financial implications.

He noted that many of CETAG's demands are nearly addressed and expressed hope for a resolution within days.

“Closing the school has financial implications, as well as their staying in school, as you have said. But we were hoping that we have done quite a lot of work, and quite a lot of all their demands are virtually almost addressed.

“So we were hoping that in the next few days, we will bring to a finality to the issues so that they can go back to school. Students are meanwhile doing their practical work so the practical work needs to be supervised. At least they are getting busy with their practical work.

“We are hopeful that in the next few days, CETAG will see a reason to call off the strike. It is when all these do not yield fruit, and then we will consider it," he said on Accra-based Citi FM.

Meanwhile, students remain engaged in practical work needing supervision.

pROF Nunoo is optimistic that CETAG will soon end the strike, but other options may be considered if efforts fail.