Teacher Unions Declare Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Promotion Arrears

• GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG declared a nationwide strike effective Friday, September 25, 2026, after government missed a deadline to resolve unpaid promotion arrears and stalled negotiations
• The unions cited three core grievances, including a delayed Collective Agreement, unplaced promoted teachers, and the non-implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance
• The declaration warned that prolonged delays and unfulfilled promises had created widespread disaffection, anger, and disillusionment among teachers nationwide

Ghana's three major teacher unions have declared a nationwide strike, escalating months of unresolved tension over unpaid promotion arrears and stalled salary negotiations.

The standoff didn't emerge overnight. Back in August 2026, the unions threatened similar action over the same promotion-placement issue, only to suspend it after an emergency meeting with Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu on August 31.

Government promised at the time that all affected teachers would be placed on their correct salary scales, with arrears settled by September 2026.

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Deputy Minister Dr. Clement Apaak said then that the Ghana Education Service would supply the Controller and Accountant-General's Department with the data needed to complete the placements.

That September deadline has now passed without resolution, prompting the fresh declaration.

Reports also indicate teachers in the Ashanti Region separately declared their own indefinite strike over the same grievances, with other regions expected to follow.

Unions detail Collective Agreement and salary delays

In a joint statement issued on September 25, 2026, the Teacher Unions cited three major concerns fuelling the action.

First, they pointed to delays in negotiating a new Collective Agreement, noting the existing one had already expired and a replacement, due since June 2026, remained outstanding despite repeated engagement with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).

Second, they flagged the government's failure to automatically place teachers who passed the December 2025 and February 2026 promotion exams onto their new salary scales, with arrears owed from January 2026.

"The following are the issues among these," the statement read, before listing the concerns and stressing that the delays had "created tension and anger amongst the rank-and-file of our members."

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Unions cite unpaid allowance, warn of growing anger

The statement's second major thread centred on the Deprived Area Allowance, which the unions said the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service had failed to review as required under Section 17(2) of the 2024 Collective Agreement, a step needed before FWSC could negotiate the actual figures.

The unions also linked the failure to a directive from President John Dramani Mahama requiring a 20% basic-salary allowance for teachers in deprived and hard-to-reach areas.

"It must be placed on record that these issues have not only created widespread disaffection, anger, and disillusionment among the rank and file of our members, but are also seen as an act of provocation, which has culminated in this industrial action," the statement read, before confirming the strike would take effect "today, Friday, 25th September 2026."

Below is the statement from the Teachers Union.

GES cracks down on unauthorised school fees

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According to an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, the Ghana Education Service separately directed all heads of Senior High Schools and Senior High Technical Schools to immediately stop collecting unapproved fees and levies from parents and guardians.

The directive, issued after reports of school heads demanding admission fees and other unauthorised charges, reminded institutions that such practices contradict the government's Free SHS policy.

Source: YEN.com.gh