Ghana's Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, is set to meet with teacher unions, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), and the Controller and Accountant General's Department on Monday, September 28. The meeting aims to address concerns over outstanding salary arrears, which have led to a nationwide industrial action by teacher unions. The strike, which began on Friday, September 25, has raised concerns about the potential disruption to academic activities.
The teacher unions, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers' Association of Ghana (PRETAG), declared the strike over issues including delays in the payment of the 20 percent Deprived Area Allowance and the failure to place promoted teachers on the government payroll. The unions are also demanding the immediate placement of about 8,000 teachers who have successfully passed their promotion examinations but are yet to be placed on the payroll.
According to Hashmin Mohammed, Press Secretary for the Ministry of Education, the Ministry is concerned about the strike action and its potential impact on the academic calendar. He noted that the Minister and his team had worked hard to restore the academic calendar and that the strike could undo this progress. Mohammed expressed hope that the meeting on Monday would produce an amicable solution to the outstanding issues.
The Education Minister recently met with the teacher unions and officials from the Controller and Accountant-General's Department, where it was agreed that the Ghana Education Service would provide the necessary data to facilitate payment of the outstanding arrears. Mohammed emphasized that the liabilities were inherited by the current government but stressed that the government could not avoid addressing them.
The government has acknowledged that the outstanding arrears and liabilities were inherited from a previous administration, but Mohammed stated that the government cannot turn its back on them. He emphasized that the Education Minister would continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to find a solution to the concerns raised by the teachers.
The strike action has significant implications for the education sector in Ghana, with concerns about the impact on students and the academic calendar. The teacher unions have given the government an ultimatum to address their concerns, and the outcome of Monday's meeting will be crucial in determining the next steps.
The meeting on Monday is expected to be a crucial step towards resolving the impasse, and stakeholders are hopeful that an amicable solution will be found. The Education Minister's engagement with the teacher unions and other stakeholders is seen as a positive step towards addressing the concerns of teachers and ensuring that academic activities continue uninterrupted.
Key points
- The Education Minister will meet with teacher unions and stakeholders on Monday to resolve outstanding salary arrears and prevent strike action.
- The strike action has been declared by teacher unions over issues including delays in the payment of allowances and the failure to place promoted teachers on the government payroll.
- The government has acknowledged that the outstanding arrears and liabilities were inherited from a previous administration but has committed to addressing them.
