Reactions As Teacher Unions Reject Call to Suspend Strike After Meeting with Education Minister

According to a report by UTVGhana on the 4th of October 2026, the three major pre-tertiary teacher unions have rejected an appeal by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu to suspend their ongoing nationwide strike, insisting that concrete action must be taken to address their outstanding concerns before they return to the classroom.

The development followed a meeting between government representatives and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).

The teacher unions began the industrial action on September 25, 2026, after several outstanding issues involving salaries, promotion arrears, conditions of service and allowances remained unresolved.

During the engagement, Mr Iddrisu appealed to the unions to consider ending the strike because of its impact on teaching and learning.

He expressed concern that continued disruption could affect students’ academic progress and the stability of the school calendar.

However, the unions maintained that they were not prepared to return to school based solely on assurances from government.

GNAT Head of Salaries Isaac Baah said teachers wanted evidence that the commitments being made would translate into actual payments and other measures.

The unions are demanding the payment of promotion-related arrears and the placement of teachers who have successfully passed promotion examinations on their appropriate salary scales.

They are also pushing for progress on negotiations for a new collective agreement and implementation of the proposed 20 per cent Deprived Area Allowance for teachers serving in underserved communities.

Mr Baah said the unions would continue the strike until outstanding salaries and arrears are reflected on teachers’ payslips and credited to their accounts.

The impasse means public-school teaching and learning remain affected as government and the unions continue efforts to reach an agreement.

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