Education Minister Pledges Arrears Payment by October 30 as Pre-Tertiary and Technical University Teachers Maintain Strike

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has appealed to pre-tertiary teacher unions to suspend their ongoing nationwide strike, which began on September 25, 2026. The government has made a firm commitment to settle outstanding promotion arrears for approximately 51,000 teachers and ensure all promoted staff are placed on their correct salary grades by October 30, 2026. Despite these assurances, leadership from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) have directed their members to remain off duty. Regional branches in Greater Accra, Central, Bono, and Brong Ahafo have issued statements emphasizing that the industrial action will only cease once concrete agreements are signed and implementation begins.

The standoff follows a high-stakes meeting on October 2 that ended without a final resolution. The discussions focused on three core grievances: the payment of promotion arrears, the finalization of a new Collective Agreement, and the implementation of a 20% deprived-area allowance. While the government presented fresh proposals for consideration, GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah stated that the unions require time to review the terms before reconvening with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on October 6. To address the allowance issue, the government has formed a committee including the Ghana Statistical Service and union representatives to define the criteria for "deprived areas," an initiative Minister Iddrisu highlighted as a fulfillment of a National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto pledge.

Adding to the sector's volatility, the Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) launched its own indefinite strike on October 1, 2026. TUTAG National President Prof. Deodat E. Adenutsi announced at Ho Technical University that the action was triggered by the government's failure to resolve welfare and operational concerns. This separate strike has halted all teaching, research supervision, and the submission of examination scripts across the nation's technical universities. Meanwhile, in the pre-tertiary sector, union leaders in the Central Region have made a direct appeal to President John Mahama to intervene personally, seeking a more efficient administrative process for teacher promotions and a swift end to the deadlock.

As the validation of data for the 51,000 affected teachers is set to begin on October 5, the government maintains that a supplementary payment schedule will be created to resolve the arrears. Minister Iddrisu expressed optimism that normal academic activities will resume within the coming week. However, union representatives like NAGRAT’s Eastern Regional Chairman, Frank Adu Twum, argue that improving teacher welfare is essential for maintaining the quality of education and performance in national examinations like the BECE and WASSCE. The next few days will be critical for the education sector as parents and students wait to see if the scheduled negotiations on October 6 can finally return educators to their classrooms.