The Ministry of Education is set to meet the leadership of Ghana’s teacher unions today, September 28, as government steps up efforts to resolve the issues that have triggered a nationwide strike.
The engagement is expected to bring the unions together with relevant government agencies to find a lasting solution to the outstanding concerns and prevent the strike from causing further disruptions to the academic calendar.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (PRETAG) began the industrial action on Friday, September 25, 2026.
The unions say the strike follows prolonged delays in addressing concerns over teachers’ conditions of service, particularly issues involving the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD).
One of their major concerns is the delay in negotiations for a new Collective Agreement. The unions said the existing agreement has expired, although discussions on a replacement agreement were expected to have been concluded by June 2026.
They are also demanding the automatic placement of teachers who were promoted after successfully completing aptitude tests conducted in December 2025 and February 2026.
According to the unions, the failure to implement an agreement involving the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and CAGD has left affected teachers without placement on the appropriate salary scales.
They said the affected teachers are also owed promotion-related arrears dating back to January 2026.
Earlier, the Press Secretary and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Hasmin Mohammed, said Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu would engage the teacher unions and other stakeholders in an attempt to persuade them to suspend the strike.
Mr Mohammed explained that the outstanding matters could not be addressed by the Education Ministry alone because they also involve the FWSC and CAGD.
He said the planned meeting would therefore allow the relevant institutions to engage directly with the unions and work towards resolving the issues.
The Ministry has also raised concerns about the possible effect of the strike on efforts to restore stability to Ghana’s academic calendar.
According to Mr Mohammed, considerable efforts had been made to address disruptions to the academic calendar, with learners from kindergarten through to the university level returning to school in September.
He cautioned that a prolonged strike could undermine those gains, particularly at a time when students have only recently resumed academic activities.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.