Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education, has disclosed that the John Mahama government will settle teachers’ promotion arrears from January 2026 by October 30, 2026.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the government had accepted responsibility for its obligations as the employer of teachers and would honour the arrears owed them.
Speaking at a two-day symposium and exhibition organised for teachers by the National Teaching Council (NTC) at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Hall in Accra, the Education Minister stated, “Government have accepted that I am responsible for honouring my obligations as an employer to all teachers. And we have accepted that we will pay their arrears from January 26 to yesterday. We will honour them”.
“If by October 30, 2026, your promotion arrears are not paid, then I will have no honour,” he said.
The Education Minister disclosed that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission would engage the teacher unions on Tuesday, October 6, to consider a new collective agreement for teachers.
“Indeed, I am reliably informed, and you are aware, that almost all the other unions have concluded their negotiations with the Fair Workers and Salaries Commission and signed on.
“We give you one week to one month to conclude and sign within the framework of what has been agreed with the other teacher unions,” he said.
“The pivotal role of teachers is imperative that they are empowered in terms of skill set and capacity to deliver,“ he said.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) has reiterated its support for the nationwide strike declared by the three teacher unions.
According to the Greater Accra leadership of the three striking unions, teachers must remain off duty, emphasising that the strike remains in force until their outstanding concerns with the government are resolved.
Addressing a joint press briefing at the GNAT Greater Accra Regional Secretariat, Regional Secretary of GNAT, Cosmos Ennu Kwaw, said the action had become necessary because the government had failed to satisfactorily address key issues affecting teachers.
Cosmos Ennu Kwaw stressed that the immediate concerns of the teachers include the automatic placement of teachers who have passed promotion examinations, the conclusion of negotiations on a new collective agreement and the implementation of a 20% deprived-area allowance.
“Teachers who sat for the prescribed promotion examinations and were declared as having passed the said examinations should, as has been the practice, be placed on their respective salary levels without any delay”, he stated.
He further stressed that the agreement reached on August 31, 2026, between the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service and the teacher unions must be implemented without variation or qualification.
The leadership further cautioned teachers against returning to the classroom prematurely.
Earlier, the three striking teacher unions rejected calls to return to the classroom.
The striking teacher unions insist they will only return to the classroom unless the government takes concrete steps to address their demands.
Head of Salaries, Grievances and Negotiations at GNAT, Isaac Baah, disclosed that teachers would remain at home until they saw evidence that the government had resolved their concerns.
Isaac Baah disclosed that the unions expect the outstanding salaries and arrears to reflect on teachers’ payslips and be credited to their accounts before they would consider returning to school.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Head of Salaries, Grievances and Negotiations at GNAT, Isaac Baah stated, “Indeed, we met the minister and his team this afternoon with regard to our strike action. It has been the old story of promises upon promises”.
“At the moment, we are not taking promises. We want action.”
“Our teachers must continue to stay home until we see something concrete,” he said.
“Until we see the salary and the arrears reflecting on our payslips and credited to our accounts, until we see that, we are not going back to school,” Baah said.
“We’ll continue to stay home until all our issues are addressed and resolved,” he said.
@ghnow_ Paul Yandoh sends a message to Hon. Amoakohene ahead of the NPP National Delegates Conference in Kumasi. #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Paul Yandoh addresses the absence of NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman Chairman Wontumi at today’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi. #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
