Ghana's Education in Crisis: Teacher Unions Demand Concrete Action as Strike Drags On

Pre-tertiary teachers in Ghana, represented by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), have continued their indefinite nationwide strike, which began on Friday, September 25. The unions are demanding concrete action on several outstanding issues, including the payment of promotion-related arrears, progress on negotiations for a new Collective Agreement, and the implementation of a Deprived Area Allowance.

Despite repeated appeals from the Ministry of Education and Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu for teachers to return to the classroom, the unions have firmly rejected these calls, insisting on tangible evidence of commitment rather than further promises. GNAT, after a meeting with the Education Minister and other government officials on Monday, September 28, stated that the engagement produced no new commitments beyond previously given assurances, describing it as "the old story of promises upon promises." The unions have clearly articulated their position: "Where we have reached, at the moment we are not taking promises; we want action."

A key point of contention for the unions is the non-implementation of an agreement signed on August 31, which stipulated that all promoted teachers would be placed on their respective salary scales by the end of September 2026. This agreement also provided for automatic placement, meaning promoted teachers would not be required to submit payslips, forms, or applications. GNAT's Head of Salaries, Isaac Baah, questioned why teachers should accept fresh assurances when this earlier, signed agreement remains unfulfilled, further criticizing what he described as additional validation requirements being introduced for promoted teachers despite the Ghana Education Service (GES) already submitting master lists of successful candidates.

In response to the strike, the government has outlined a roadmap to address the teachers' concerns. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced fresh negotiations on the Collective Agreement, with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) expected to meet the teacher unions on Tuesday, September 29, or potentially Tuesday, October 6. GNAT, however, has accused the government of showing little seriousness in these negotiations, noting that the existing Collective Agreement expired in June 2026, and proposals submitted in August 2025 have made no meaningful progress, also affecting the payment of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Allowance.

Regarding the 20% Deprived Area Allowance, Mr. Iddrisu stated that a validation committee, chaired by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, has been constituted to validate the necessary data. The government has expressed commitment to begin implementation in January 2027, subject to the completion of this validation process and the development of a roadmap with union participation. NAGRAT President, Jacob Anaba, welcomed this commitment but stressed the need for it to be formally documented and signed.

For teachers promoted but yet to be placed on appropriate salary grades, the GES Director-General has been tasked with submitting outstanding data to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) by 4pm on Monday, October 5, 2026. This exercise aims to enable CAGD to process new salaries for affected teachers starting from October, with any supplementary payments to follow. The Minister noted that data for up to 29,000 promoted teachers had been received, but September salaries were already processed.

Expanded engagements involving the Ministry of Labour, FWSC, and CAGD, alongside the Ministry of Education and teacher unions, have been held to find practical solutions. However, the unions remain resolute, with GNAT declaring that teachers will continue to stay home "until we see something concrete," specifically demanding to see outstanding salary and arrears reflected on their payslips and credited to their accounts. NAGRAT also seeks concrete and binding timelines for resolving all issues, documented and signed, before calling off the strike.

The indefinite strike has severely disrupted teaching and learning across the country, coming shortly after Ghana reverted to the September-to-July academic calendar. The efficacy of the government's proposed timelines and its ability to provide the demanded concrete evidence of implementation will be critically tested in the upcoming negotiations and processing efforts.