University of Ghana 2026/2027 Academic Calendar at Risk as GAUA Strike Enters Critical Phase

• University of Ghana Pro-Vice-Chancellor warned that the 2026/2027 academic calendar faces severe disruption
• The university suspended first-semester registration for the 2026/2027 academic year as key administrative systems remain non-functional
• GAUA has been on strike for over two months after negotiations with the government over approved allowances and conditions of service stalled

The University of Ghana's 2026/2027 academic year is in jeopardy as the ongoing strike by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) continues to cripple essential university operations.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Gordon Awandare cautioned that the academic calendar could collapse entirely if the dispute is not resolved within days.

Speaking on Thursday, October 8, Prof. Awandare acknowledged that management's ability to keep the university running was severely constrained.

"The reality is that currently many of the systems are not working because they are managed by members of GAUA who are on strike," he said. "So the university can only do so much in terms of what we can make available in the absence of GAUA people."

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The university has already suspended online registration for the first semester, issuing an apology to both Level 100 and continuing students. Management attributed the registration breakdown directly to the industrial action, describing it as the cause of "the current challenges with online registration for the first semester of the 2026-2027 academic year."

Under the published academic calendar, Level 100 students were scheduled to report between October 12 and 13, with continuing students expected on campus from October 15 to 18.

Teaching was set to begin on October 19. Prof. Awandare was unambiguous about what a prolonged strike would mean: "Because if this goes into next week, then it means that the academic calendar is basically gone and we have to reorganise."

He appealed directly to the government to intervene as a matter of urgency, saying: "What we would like to appeal for is that the government should try to resolve this as soon as possible so that the academic calendar is not disrupted so badly."

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GAUA's Grievances Remain Unresolved

GAUA first declared the strike on August 10 before suspending the action after Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu assured members their concerns would be addressed. The strike resumed after negotiations with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission stalled, and the association has now been off the job for more than two months.

National General Secretary Charles Jojo Aidoo said the association had made no meaningful progress in talks.

"None of our grievances have been addressed. We had about six, seven grievances, and none of them has been addressed. The majority of them are not even monetary," he said.

Aidoo stressed that GAUA members are skilled professionals, including medical doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants, auditors and procurement specialists, who have been without a conditions of service agreement since 2008. "From 2008, we don't have any conditions of service," he said.

The association indicated it remains willing to return to the negotiating table and could suspend the strike if credible progress is made on its outstanding demands.

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The disruption at the University of Ghana is unfolding alongside a separate teachers' strike affecting basic and secondary schools across the country, compounding anxiety among parents already concerned about the state of education in Ghana.

UCC halts registration of freshers

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the University of Cape Coast (UCC) had allegedly suspended fresh student registration for the 2026/2027 first semester, leaving hundreds of newly admitted students uncertain about when the process will resume.

A post shared on the Voice of UCC WhatsApp channel on September 27, 2026, announced the suspension, citing an ongoing industrial action by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) as the reason for the halt.

Students were directed to await further communication from the Directorate of Academic Affairs.

Source: YEN.com.gh