Ghana's Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has outlined a government roadmap to resolve the teachers' strike that has disrupted classrooms since September 25. The minister set an October 5 deadline for the Ghana Education Service to submit data on up to 29,000 promoted teachers awaiting salary upgrades. This move aims to address one of the core grievances of the striking teachers.
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission was scheduled to meet striking teacher unions on Tuesday, September 29, to continue Collective Agreement negotiations. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu presented a structured government roadmap aimed at ending the nationwide teachers' strike, appealing to the three major unions to suspend their industrial action while negotiations continue. The government has engaged in "very open and frank negotiations" and is committed to addressing the teachers' grievances.
The roadmap covers three areas central to the dispute. On the Collective Agreement, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is set to resume talks with the teacher unions on September 29. Regarding the 20% Deprived Area Allowance, a validation committee chaired by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has been constituted to verify the data needed before implementation can begin. The government remains committed to rolling out the allowance from January 2027.
Mr. Iddrisu assured unions they would be represented in the validation process for the Deprived Area Allowance. He said the government of President Mahama remains committed to rolling out the rural deprived 20% allowance effective January 2027, subject to the validation of the data and the fine roadmap. The teacher union will be adequately represented in this process.
On salary arrears for promoted teachers, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service has been directed to submit outstanding data to the Controller and Accountant-General's Department by 4 pm on Monday, October 5. Regional directors and input officers are to be brought to Accra over the weekend to speed up data compilation, with the Employment and Labour Relations Minister overseeing the process.
Data covering up to 29,000 promoted teachers had already been received, Mr. Iddrisu confirmed. However, because the September payroll had already been processed, the updated salary grades would only take effect from October, with any supplementary payments to follow. The three unions at the centre of the strike had earlier rejected a government call to return to work.
The unions have insisted on written commitments regarding the Deprived Area Allowance and tangible evidence of arrears payment. With the FWSC talks scheduled and the GES data deadline approaching, the government's proposed timelines face an immediate test against the unions' demand for concrete proof before any suspension of the strike. The strike has also had ripple effects, with the University of Cape Coast allegedly suspending fresh student registration for the 2026/2027 first semester.
Key points
- The Ghana Education Service must submit data on 29,000 promoted teachers by October 5.
- The government aims to roll out the 20% Deprived Area Allowance from January 2027.
- The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission will meet with teacher unions on September 29 to resume Collective Agreement negotiations.
