The Ghana Education Service (GES) is working to submit details of promoted teachers to the Controller and Accountant-General's Department (CAGD) by 4pm on Monday, October 5, 2026. This move aims to allow CAGD to process payroll changes for teachers whose promotions have not yet been reflected in their salaries. The submission is a key step towards resolving the nationwide teachers' strike that began on September 25. GES Director-General Professor Ernest Kofi Davis stated that the Service is doing everything possible to meet the deadline.
The ongoing teachers' strike is led by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG). Their demands include correct salary placement for promoted teachers, payment of outstanding promotion arrears, a concluded new collective agreement, and implementation of a 20 percent deprived-area allowance. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu had previously set an October 30 deadline to end the strike, appealing to teachers to return to the classroom while negotiations continue.
Minister Haruna Iddrisu visited GES staff who were compiling and processing the promotion data for submission. During the visit, he questioned why the exercise still relies on physical forms. Iddrisu argued that the Service needed to find a better way of handling the process, suggesting that an IT infrastructure system would be more efficient in managing the volume of information involved.
Iddrisu expressed concern about the sheer amount of paper and material officials were having to carry and sort through. He intends to raise the matter with the relevant authorities and push for a modernised system going forward. However, no timeline was given for when such a system might be introduced. The Minister's comments highlight the need for a more streamlined and efficient process.
The paperwork requirements themselves have become contentious. Union leadership in the Central Region urged CAGD to drop its requirement that individual teachers submit hard copies of their promotion letters and input forms. Instead, they proposed that GES supply a master list of verified promoted teachers, arguing this would protect payroll accuracy while sparing teachers unnecessary administrative delay.
The submission of promotion data to CAGD is a crucial step, but it does not guarantee that all outstanding salaries and arrears will be paid by Monday. Union leaders are expected to consider the government's latest proposals on Monday, while Iddrisu's October 30 deadline to end the strike remains in place. The outcome of these negotiations will determine the next steps in resolving the industrial action.
The strike has also coincided with separate industrial action by technical university lecturers over unpaid allowances, compounding disruption across the education sector. GNAT President Prosper Tachie recently called for a shift from a minimum wage to a living wage framework for teachers. The ongoing disputes highlight the need for a comprehensive resolution to the issues affecting the education sector.
Key points
- The Ghana Education Service must submit promoted teachers' data to the Controller and Accountant-General's Department by 4pm on Monday, October 5, 2026.
- Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has questioned the use of paper forms in the promotion process, advocating for a modernised IT infrastructure system.
- The teachers' strike, led by GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG, demands correct salary placement, payment of arrears, a new collective agreement, and a 20 percent deprived-area allowance.
