The Ministry of Education in Ghana has reiterated its appeal to striking pre-tertiary teachers to return to the classroom, despite the teacher unions' decision to continue their indefinite industrial action. The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and other unions have been on strike since September 25, demanding payment of outstanding promotion-related arrears, progress on negotiations for a new Collective Agreement, and implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.
According to the Education Ministry's Press Secretary, Hashmin Mohammed, the government's priority is to get teachers back into the classroom to protect the academic calendar. He emphasized that the Ministry remains committed to resolving the issues and restoring teaching and learning. The Ministry has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to provide data on teachers who have not received their promotion-related payments to facilitate processing of the outstanding payments.
The teacher unions have expressed frustration with the government's promises, stating that they want concrete action rather than assurances. GNAT said a meeting with Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu and other government officials on September 28 did not yield any new commitments beyond previous promises. The unions have directed their members to continue staying away from the classroom until the government addresses their outstanding demands.
The Education Ministry has acknowledged that some of the concerns raised by the unions go beyond its direct mandate, leading to an expanded engagement involving the Ministry of Labour, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), and the Controller and Accountant-General's Department (CAGD). The stakeholders have been assigned specific responsibilities to resolve the teachers' concerns.
As of September 28, 6,079 promotion cases have been fully processed and paid by the CAGD. However, the teacher unions remain on strike, insisting that their demands be met. The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is scheduled to meet with the teacher unions on October 6 to discuss the ongoing strike.
The strike has left pupils unsupervised in some areas, particularly in the Northern Region. The Education Ministry has proposed a 2% GETFund emergency fund for crisis-affected schools. The Ministry is working to address the concerns of the teacher unions and find a resolution to the strike.
The ongoing strike has significant implications for Ghana's education sector, with the academic calendar at risk. The Education Ministry's appeal to the teachers to return to work is a crucial step towards resolving the situation. Key issues driving the strike include unpaid promotion arrears, delayed negotiations for a new Collective Agreement, and implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.
Key points
- The Ghanaian government is working to address the concerns of the striking teachers, including unpaid promotion arrears and delayed negotiations for a new Collective Agreement.
- The teacher unions have rejected the government's assurances, insisting on concrete action to address their demands.
- The ongoing strike has significant implications for Ghana's education sector, with the academic calendar at risk.
