Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu to Convene Emergency Meeting with Striking Teacher Unions on Monday

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu is scheduled to meet with the leadership of Ghana’s three major pre-tertiary teacher unions on Monday, September 28, 2026, in a critical bid to end a nationwide strike. The industrial action, launched on September 25 by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), has sparked significant concern within the Ministry of Education regarding disruptions to the academic calendar. The Ministry, through Press Secretary Hasmin Mohammed, emphasized the importance of engaging all stakeholders—including the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission—to resolve the dispute and ensure students return to the classroom.

The core grievances of the striking educators center on several long-standing financial and administrative issues. Chief among these is the demand for the payment of promotion arrears for teachers promoted since January 2026 and the automatic placement of successful promotion exam candidates onto their correct salary scales. Furthermore, King Ali Awudu, President of PRETAG, highlighted that a 20% deprived-area allowance designed to incentivize teachers in remote regions has remained unimplemented since it was first proposed in 2009. Despite previous assurances from President John Mahama’s administration, teachers in challenging terrains continue to work without this critical support, facing hazardous travel and difficult living conditions.

The strike has drawn sharp reactions from across the political and civil society spectrum. The Minority in Parliament has formally urged the government to honor the 2024 Collective Agreement for Teaching Staff and immediately settle the outstanding allowances and arrears. Conversely, Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, suggested that the unions should direct their frustrations specifically toward the Ghana Education Service (GES), arguing that the administrative body is primarily responsible for the delays in processing promotional letters and salary adjustments. Meanwhile, internal voices within the teaching fraternity, such as Teacher Tiawa (Tabi Addo Godfred), have cautioned that the unions must present a more united front to enhance their negotiating power with the government.

As the country looks toward Monday’s meeting, the stakes remain high for both the government and the teaching workforce. The Ministry of Education aims to bridge the gap between current budgetary constraints and the teachers' demands to restore industrial peace. The outcome of these negotiations will not only determine the immediate future of the current academic term but will also test the government’s ability to address systemic issues within the educational sector, such as the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance. For the unions, the meeting represents a pivotal moment to secure tangible results for their members and demonstrate the efficacy of their collective action.