Ghana's education sector is facing a major crisis as three of the country's largest teacher unions, GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG, have embarked on a nationwide strike. The strike, which took effect on Friday, September 25, 2026, is over unpaid promotion arrears and stalled salary negotiations. The unions had earlier threatened to take action if their demands were not met, citing a delayed Collective Agreement, unplaced promoted teachers, and the non-implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.
The standoff between the unions and the government has been ongoing for months. In August 2026, the unions had threatened similar action over the same promotion-placement issue, only to suspend it after an emergency meeting with Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu on August 31. The government had promised to place all affected teachers on their correct salary scales, with arrears settled by September 2026. However, the deadline has now passed without resolution, prompting the fresh declaration of a nationwide strike.
The Teacher Unions have cited three major concerns fuelling the action. Firstly, they pointed to delays in negotiating a new Collective Agreement, noting the existing one had already expired and a replacement, due since June 2026, remained outstanding despite repeated engagement with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC). Secondly, they flagged the government's failure to automatically place teachers who passed the December 2025 and February 2026 promotion exams onto their new salary scales, with arrears owed from January 2026.
The unions also expressed concern over the Deprived Area Allowance, which they said the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service had failed to review as required under Section 17(2) of the 2024 Collective Agreement. This allowance is a directive from President John Dramani Mahama requiring a 20% basic-salary allowance for teachers in deprived and hard-to-reach areas. The unions linked the failure to implement this allowance to the growing anger and disillusionment among teachers.
Reports indicate that teachers in the Ashanti Region have separately declared their own indefinite strike over the same grievances, with other regions expected to follow. The Ghana Education Service has directed all heads of Senior High Schools and Senior High Technical Schools to immediately stop collecting unapproved fees and levies from parents and guardians. The directive reminded institutions that such practices contradict the government's Free SHS policy.
The strike has created widespread disaffection, anger, and disillusionment among teachers nationwide. The unions warned that prolonged delays and unfulfilled promises had culminated in this industrial action. The declaration of the strike was made in a joint statement issued on September 25, 2026, by the Teacher Unions.
The situation remains uncertain, with no indication of when the strike will be called off. The government's response to the unions' demands will be crucial in determining the outcome of the strike. The strike is expected to have a significant impact on the education sector, with students and parents likely to bear the brunt of the action.
Key points
- The nationwide strike by GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG is over unpaid promotion arrears and stalled salary negotiations.
- The strike was prompted by the government's failure to meet a deadline to resolve the issues.
- The unions are demanding the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance and the placement of promoted teachers on their correct salary scales.
