The Ghana Education Service (GES) is working to submit details of promoted teachers for payroll processing by Monday, October 5, 2026. Director-General Professor Ernest Kofi Davis stated that the Service is doing everything possible to meet the deadline. The GES is compiling and submitting the required promotion information, but the decision on electronic processing rests with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD).
The deadline was set by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, to enable CAGD to process the salaries of affected teachers on their new grades. Regional directors and input officers are supporting the exercise, with teacher union representatives also expected to participate. The submission of promotion information for payroll processing does not guarantee that all outstanding promotion salaries and arrears will be paid by the deadline.
The GES’ efforts come amid an ongoing teachers’ strike that started on September 25, 2026. The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) are demanding salary placement for promoted teachers, payment of outstanding promotion arrears, a new collective agreement, and implementation of a 20 per cent deprived-area allowance.
The documentation required for salary adjustments has been a point of contention between the unions and authorities. The Central Regional leadership of the unions urged CAGD to reconsider its requirement for individual teachers to submit hard copies of promotion letters and input forms. Instead, they proposed that the GES submit a master list of duly promoted teachers for verification and payroll accountability.
Negotiations between the government and teacher unions have not resulted in an agreement to suspend the industrial action. A high-level meeting on October 2, 2026, ended without an agreement, with union leaders to consider the government’s latest proposals. Professor Davis appealed to teachers to return to work, cautioning that a prolonged strike could impact the academic calendar and pre-tertiary education stability.
The GES’ efforts to meet the payroll submission deadline are being closely watched as government and unions continue negotiations. The unions and government are yet to reach an agreement, and the strike remains unresolved. The outcome of the negotiations will determine the fate of the academic calendar and the welfare of teachers.
The Ghana Education Service’s prompt submission of promotion details is crucial in addressing one of the concerns of the striking teachers. If successful, it may pave the way for the payment of salaries on new grades and potentially contribute to resolving the ongoing industrial action. Key stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the negotiations and the impact on the education sector.
Key points
- The Ghana Education Service is working to submit promotion details of teachers for payroll processing by October 5, 2026.
- The ongoing teachers’ strike, which started on September 25, 2026, involves GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG.
- The strike is over several issues, including salary placement for promoted teachers and payment of outstanding promotion arrears.
