The Vice President of the Pre-Tertiary Education Teachers Association of Ghana, Adokwei Ayikwei Awulley, has expressed concerns over the delay in implementing the deprived-area allowance for teachers. He made these remarks on Adom FM's Dwaso Nsem amid an ongoing strike by teacher unions over unresolved concerns affecting teachers. According to Awulley, the issue has been repeatedly raised by the President, the Education Minister, and the Ghana Education Service.
The teacher unions, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, and Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana, declared a nationwide industrial action on September 25, 2026, over prolonged delays in addressing critical concerns affecting teachers. The unions explained that negotiations for a new Collective Agreement have stalled despite the expiration of the existing agreement and an earlier expectation that the process would have been completed by June 2026.
Awulley noted that concerns over funding for the survey of deprived areas led the teacher unions to finance the exercise themselves. The Ghana Education Service had claimed it didn't have the money, so the teachers paid for the survey, and the GES returned with a document containing the numbers. However, the implementation of the agreement remains outstanding, causing worry among the unions.
The ongoing strike by teacher unions has significant implications for Ghana's education sector. The unions are seeking to address critical concerns affecting teachers, including the deprived-area allowance, which is captured in the collective agreement. The delayed implementation of this allowance has led to frustration among teachers, prompting the industrial action.
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Controller and Accountant-General's Department have been handling issues relating to the teachers' conditions of service. However, the teacher unions have expressed growing frustration over the handling of these issues, leading to the nationwide strike.
The Education Ministry is expected to meet with the teacher unions to discuss their concerns and find a resolution to the ongoing strike. The meeting aims to address the critical concerns affecting teachers, including the deprived-area allowance and the stalled negotiations for a new Collective Agreement.
The delayed implementation of the deprived-area allowance has significant implications for teachers in deprived areas. The allowance is intended to provide financial support to teachers working in these areas, but its delayed implementation has left them without the expected benefits. The teacher unions are calling for the immediate implementation of the allowance and a resolution to the ongoing concerns affecting teachers.
Key points
- The Ghana Education Service has been questioned over the delayed implementation of the deprived-area allowance for teachers, despite the allowance being captured in the collective agreement.
- Teacher unions in Ghana have declared a nationwide industrial action over prolonged delays in addressing critical concerns affecting teachers.
- The Education Ministry is expected to meet with the teacher unions to discuss their concerns and find a resolution to the ongoing strike.
