The Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) has told the Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, that the government’s commitment to clear outstanding promotion arrears will not, on its own, be enough to bring an end to the nationwide teachers’ strike.
According to PRETAG, several demands of the three striking teacher unions contained in agreements with government remain unresolved.
PRETAG argued that the unresolved agreements make it difficult for the teacher unions to suspend the industrial action based solely on assurances over the payment of arrears.
The association argued that a 20% professional allowance has remained outstanding despite commitments made by successive administrations, disclosing that the teachers are still waiting for concrete action on the allowance as well as other provisions contained in their collective agreement.
PRETAG President King Ali Awudu stated, “We are in 2026, and we are talking about the same thing that His Excellency also promised”.
“Our collective agreement with government is not willing to give us anything. These last two have not been met,” he said.
“The idea of calling off the strike is such a difficult one,” Mr Awudu said,
PRETAG comment follows Haruna Iddrisu, who assured striking teachers across the country that the Mahama government will settle outstanding promotion arrears owed to them by October 30.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, the government recognises its responsibility as an employer to ensure that teachers receive all payments due to them, including arrears arising from promotions.
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, assured that the government had accepted responsibility for fulfilling its financial obligations to teachers and would ensure that outstanding promotion arrears were paid.
Haruna Iddrisu added that by October 30, if teachers’ promotion arrears are not paid, then he has no honour.
The Education Minister stated, “The government has 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. We will honour them.
“If by October 30, your promotion arrears are not paid, then I will have no honour.”
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.
@ghnow_ Augustine Okechukwu Maazi Arrives at Accra Circuit Court for Labone GCB Attempted Robbery Case #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – Paakow💰🕊
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