Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu made the appeal on Monday, September 28, 2026, following a meeting with representatives of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) in Accra.

The unions began the strike on September 25, citing delays in negotiating a new collective agreement, the failure to place newly promoted teachers on the appropriate salary scales and the non-implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.

Mr Iddrisu said the government remained committed to addressing the concerns and urged the unions to return to the classroom while negotiations continued.

He announced that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) would meet the unions on October 6 to continue discussions on their collective agreement and conditions of service.

On the issue of promotion-related salary arrears, the Minister said the Ghana Education Service (GES) had been directed to work with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to update the records of affected teachers and facilitate the processing of outstanding payments.

He disclosed that data for about 29,000 teachers had been captured, while the exercise was expected to cover nearly 80,000 promoted teachers.

The government also announced the establishment of a validation committee to examine data relating to the proposed 20 per cent allowance for teachers serving in deprived areas.

Mr Iddrisu said the government remained committed to implementing the allowance from January 2027, subject to validation of the data and the development of an agreed implementation roadmap.

However, the unions rejected the appeal, insisting that they would not return to the classroom based on promises alone.

GNAT’s Head of Salaries, Grievances and Negotiations, Isaac Nii Baah, said teachers would remain on strike until outstanding salaries and arrears were reflected on their payslips and credited to their accounts.

The strike therefore remains unresolved, with the government seeking a return to classrooms while negotiations continue over the unions’ demands.

The ongoing industrial action has disrupted teaching and learning in public pre-tertiary schools across the country, raising concerns about its potential impact on the academic calendar.

Photo courtesy: Hon. Haruna Iddrisu.