The Upper East Regional leadership of three major teacher unions has thrown its weight behind the ongoing nationwide strike, insisting that teachers should remain off duty until government addresses their outstanding concerns.
The unions—Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG)—said unresolved issues surrounding the placement of promoted teachers, the Deprived Area Allowance and negotiations for a new Collective Agreement had compelled them to maintain the industrial action.
The position was announced at a joint press conference in Bolgatanga addressed by Upper East Regional GNAT Secretary Lare Kitonname, PRETAG Regional Chairman Richard Sunday Yinbil, and NAGRAT Regional Chairman John Akunzebe.
The regional leadership declared its “unflinching support” for the national leadership of the three unions and the industrial action that commenced on September 25, 2026.
According to the unions, several engagements have taken place between government and their national leadership, but they believe key commitments remain outstanding.
Promotion arrears
One of the major concerns raised was the delayed placement of teachers who successfully passed promotion aptitude tests conducted in December 2025 and February 2026.
The unions said an agreement had been reached involving the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service (GES), Controller and Accountant-General’s Department and the teacher unions for successful candidates to be automatically placed on their appropriate salary scales, with arrears effective from January 2026.
They, however, expressed frustration over what they described as the incomplete implementation of the agreement.
The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department has explained that it received 6,079 out of an expected 58,620 promotion cases from the Ghana Education Service and had processed all valid cases submitted.
The Department said the remaining cases would be processed once the necessary documentation was received and validated.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has also indicated that the GES and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department would work to update and validate the outstanding data, after which the necessary adjustments would be processed.
Deprived Area Allowance
The teacher unions also renewed their demand for the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance, particularly for teachers working in deprived and hard-to-reach communities.
They cited Section 17(2) of the 2024 Collective Agreement, which they said requires the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to review the Deprived Area Report before the unions negotiate the applicable allowance with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
The regional leaders argued that the required review had not been carried out.
“As of today, this has not been done, in utter disregard of this stipulation in the Collective Agreement,” the unions said.
They further referenced a proposed allowance equivalent to 20 per cent of basic salary for teachers serving in deprived and hard-to-reach areas.
Government has indicated that a validation committee would be established to examine the relevant data, with implementation targeted for January 2027, subject to validation and an agreed roadmap.
Collective Agreement negotiations
The unions also expressed concern over delays in negotiations for a new Collective Agreement.
They said the existing agreement had expired and negotiations for its replacement should have been completed by June 2026.
According to the regional leadership, the matter has been raised with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission on several occasions, but no conclusion has been reached.
“We have raised this concern with the FWSC several times, but as of today, the issue is still outstanding. This is a bother to the Teacher Unions,” the statement said.
Strike to continue
The Upper East Regional leadership of GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG therefore maintained its support for the continuation of the nationwide strike until the outstanding issues are addressed.
The unions said their position was informed by the need to ensure that agreements reached with government are implemented and that outstanding conditions of service affecting teachers are resolved.
The Ghana Education Service has meanwhile appealed to the unions to call off the strike, warning that a prolonged disruption of teaching and learning could have consequences for the academic calendar.
Source: Mybluewavesonline.com|Maurice Duncan|Bolgatanga
