The Ghana Education Service (GES) is set to submit additional data to the Controller and Accountant-General's Department (CAGD) to enable the processing of outstanding promotion arrears owed to teachers. This move follows a meeting between the Education Ministry, teacher unions, and other government agencies. The Education Ministry's Press Secretary, Hashmin Mohammed, stated that the government is committed to resolving the issues that led to the nationwide strike by teacher unions.
According to CAGD, 6,079 promotion cases submitted by GES have already been processed and paid, including applicable arrears effective January 1, 2026. These cases are part of the 58,620 expected submissions. CAGD explained that the remaining cases require necessary documentation from GES before they can be validated and processed. The Education Ministry is working closely with GES to ensure that the required data is submitted to facilitate the processing of outstanding payments.
The meeting between the Education Ministry, teacher unions, and other government agencies was expanded to include other stakeholders, as several of the issues raised fall outside the direct mandate of the Education Ministry. The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) is expected to engage with the unions on their conditions of service, while the Ministry of Labour will discuss the implementation of the 20% Deprived Area Allowance. Each institution has been assigned specific responsibilities to address the concerns of the teacher unions.
Despite government assurances, the teacher unions have rejected calls to suspend their strike, insisting on concrete action on their demands. The unions, including GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG, began the nationwide strike on September 25, citing unresolved concerns over promotion arrears, negotiations on a new Collective Agreement, and the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance. The strike has disrupted teaching and learning in schools across the country.
The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Director-General of GES to ensure that CAGD receives the required data to facilitate the processing of outstanding payments. The government has appealed to the unions to return to the classroom to protect the September-to-July academic calendar. However, the unions maintain that their return to work will depend on tangible progress on their demands.
The immediate task for the government is to ensure that GES submits the outstanding data and that CAGD can validate and process the eligible cases. Negotiations will continue on the other unresolved conditions of service. The government is working to address the concerns of the teacher unions and find a lasting solution to the impasse.
The strike has had a significant impact on the education sector, with reports from some regions showing pupils reporting to school without teachers. The government and teacher unions will continue to engage in discussions to resolve the issues and ensure that the academic calendar is not further disrupted. The outcome of these discussions will determine the next course of action for the unions and the government.
Key points
- The Ghana Education Service will submit additional data to the Controller and Accountant-General's Department to facilitate the processing of outstanding teacher promotion arrears.
- 6,079 promotion cases have already been processed and paid by CAGD.
- The teacher unions have rejected calls to suspend their strike, insisting on concrete action on their demands.
