The Ministry of Education in Ghana has announced plans to meet with the country's teacher unions on Monday, September 28, in an effort to resolve a dispute over unpaid promotion arrears and other outstanding demands. This meeting comes as the teacher unions have begun a nationwide strike. The Press Secretary and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Hasmin Mohammed, revealed this information on Joy FM's Midday News on Friday, September 25.
The nationwide strike by teacher unions was called in response to unpaid promotion arrears and delays in negotiations with the government. According to Mr. Mohammed, the Education Minister will engage with various stakeholders to resolve the dispute and prevent the strike from further disrupting the academic calendar. The Ministry is reportedly "deeply worried" about the strike due to its potential impact on the academic calendar.
Significant efforts were made to restore the academic calendar to normality after previous disruptions, with pupils and students from kindergarten through to university now reporting in September. Mr. Mohammed noted that it took the intervention of the Education Minister and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service to restore sanity to the academic calendar. For the first time, Ghanaian school children from KG to university are all reporting in September.
The dispute over unpaid promotion arrears and other demands cannot be resolved by the Education Ministry alone, as it requires the involvement of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Controller and Accountant-General's Department. The Minister will use Monday's meeting to provide a platform for the relevant institutions and the unions to engage directly. This meeting aims to address the unions' concerns and seek an end to the strike.
The Education Ministry is working to prevent further disruption to the academic calendar, which has only recently been restored to normality. Mr. Mohammed warned that continued industrial action could undermine the gains made in restoring the academic calendar. The Ministry will do everything within its capacity to prevent further disruptions.
The nationwide strike by teacher unions has significant implications for the education sector in Ghana. The unions have been demanding the payment of promotion arrears and timely negotiations with the government. The meeting on Monday will be crucial in determining the next steps and potential resolution to the dispute.
Key to resolving the dispute will be the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Controller and Accountant-General's Department. The Education Ministry's Press Secretary emphasized the Ministry's commitment to finding a solution and restoring normalcy to the education sector.
Key points
- The Education Ministry will meet teacher unions on Monday to resolve the dispute over unpaid promotion arrears.
- The nationwide strike by teacher unions has disrupted the academic calendar, which had only recently been restored to normality.
- The dispute requires the involvement of multiple institutions, including the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Controller and Accountant-General's Department.
