Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu Pledges Arrears Payment by October 30 as Teacher Strike Persists

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has made a high-stakes commitment to Ghana's pre-tertiary teacher unions, vowing that all outstanding promotion arrears will be settled by October 30, 2026. This pledge comes as the government intensifies efforts to end an indefinite strike that began on September 25, which has left classrooms across the country empty. Despite several rounds of negotiations, including a high-level meeting on October 6, the three main teacher unions—the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers—have yet to officially call off the industrial action, choosing instead to consult their respective memberships on the government’s latest proposals.

The ongoing dispute centers on several long-standing grievances, primarily the non-payment of promotion-related arrears, the implementation of a 20% Deprived Area Allowance, and the finalization of a new Collective Agreement to replace expired service conditions. During the most recent discussions, the government tabled new proposals aimed at addressing these concerns. Minister Iddrisu noted that the administration is committed to updating salaries for recently promoted teachers and has offered a framework for the deprived area allowance. However, union leaders remain cautious; NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba emphasized that teachers will not return to work based on verbal promises alone, demanding formal, documented agreements and a verification process for all proposed solutions.

Speaking at the 2026 Ghana Teacher Prize ceremony held in Accra under the theme ‘Empowering Teachers: Architects of the Future,’ Minister Iddrisu sought to rebuild trust with the teaching fraternity. ‘I’ll have no honour if your arrears are not paid by October 30,’ he told the gathering, underscoring the priority the Mahama administration is placing on stabilizing the education sector. While the Minister urged unions to reconsider the strike for the sake of the students, GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah indicated that the unions are currently reviewing the government's offers and will reconvene early next week to determine their next course of action.

The resolution of this standoff remains critical for the 2026/2027 academic year, as the government seeks to avoid further disruption to the school calendar. While the Education Ministry’s commitment to a fixed deadline marks a significant shift in negotiations, the unions’ insistence on ‘concrete solutions’ suggests that only the physical disbursement of funds or the signing of legally binding documents will bring teachers back to the classroom. As the October 30 deadline approaches, both parents and students are left waiting to see if the government's new proposals will be sufficient to restore normalcy to the nation's pre-tertiary institutions.