Ghana's Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission will meet with teacher unions on October 6 to continue negotiations on their collective agreement and conditions of service. This announcement was made after a meeting between the government team and representatives of GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG on September 28, 2026. The meeting is part of the government's efforts to resolve the ongoing strike by teacher unions.
The discussions between the government and teacher unions were described as open and focused on finding solutions to the concerns raised by the unions. The government had appealed to the unions to call off the strike while negotiations continue. According to Minister Iddrisu, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission's meeting with the teacher unions aims to address their collective agreement and conditions of service.
A validation committee has been formed to examine data relating to the government's commitment to pay a 20 percent rural deprived area allowance. The committee, led by the Ministry of Employment and Labour, will include representation from the teacher unions. Minister Iddrisu stated that the government remains committed to implementing the allowance from January 2027, subject to data validation and agreement on a clear roadmap.
The issue of salaries for promoted teachers was also addressed. The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has been tasked with submitting relevant data to the Controller and Accountant-General for processing. This exercise will continue over the weekend, with regional directors and officers responsible for entering the data expected to support the process.
According to Minister Iddrisu, the government currently has data on about 29,000 teachers in relation to outstanding arrears, while the full process is expected to cover nearly 80,000 promoted teachers. He explained that September salaries have already been processed, making it impossible to reverse the process. The Controller and Accountant-General will include outstanding payments in October salaries, including any supplementary payments that may arise.
The government's measures aim to address the concerns of teacher unions while discussions continue on their conditions of service and other outstanding issues. The ongoing strike by teacher unions has brought attention to their demands, and the government's efforts to resolve the issue are being closely watched.
The meeting between the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and teacher unions on October 6 will be crucial in determining the next steps in the negotiations. The outcome of this meeting may have a significant impact on the future of the strike and the relationship between the government and teacher unions.
Key points
- The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission will meet with teacher unions on October 6 to continue negotiations on their collective agreement and conditions of service.
- A validation committee has been formed to examine data relating to the government's commitment to pay a 20 percent rural deprived area allowance.
- The government aims to address the concerns of teacher unions while discussions continue on their conditions of service and other outstanding issues.
