The Ghana Education Service has officially responded to a petition submitted by a group of newly posted teachers who assumed duty in September 2024 but have since raised concerns over delayed salaries and outstanding Staff ID issuance.
In a statement issued on June 24, 2025, and signed by Public Relations Officer Daniel Fenyi, GES acknowledged the grievances brought forward during a demonstration on June 23. The statement outlines the circumstances surrounding the delays and details efforts currently underway to resolve them.
According to GES, a total of 12,807 graduates from the Colleges of Education were recruited in 2024. By December of that year, 9,950 of the recruits had received Staff IDs and were being paid. However, 2,113 teachers, despite being issued Staff IDs, could not be paid due to the expiration of the financial clearance required for processing salaries. A further 582 teachers did not receive their Staff IDs at all, largely due to documentation challenges, such as inconsistencies in SSNIT numbers, discrepancies in Ghana Card information, and self-reposting irregularities.
The statement noted that the current GES management, upon taking office, initiated a nationwide staff validation exercise between March 7 and March 14, 2025. This audit aimed to confirm the legitimacy of recruitments and eliminate anomalies that had been flagged in previous audit reports. GES emphasized that the exercise was essential to cleaning up the recruitment process and ensuring accountability.
In an effort to facilitate dialogue and swift resolution, a technical committee—comprising representatives from the affected teachers—has been established. This body is tasked with improving communication and ensuring timely updates between the Service and the complainants.
GES also confirmed that letters have been forwarded, through the Minister for Education, to the Ministry of Finance requesting an extension of the expired financial clearance. A provision has reportedly been made in the 2025 national budget to cater for these pending payments.
Despite these measures, GES highlighted a recurring challenge: the lack of consistent representation from the aggrieved teachers. Each protest, the statement observed, tends to be led by different individuals or groups, making it difficult to sustain engagement or track progress effectively. GES appealed for more coordinated and stable leadership among the affected teachers to streamline dialogue.
While acknowledging the frustrations of the unpaid staff, GES urged calm and patience, assuring all affected individuals that the Service remains committed to resolving the matter. “Management remains committed to transparency, accountability, and collaboration in resolving this matter in the best interest of our hardworking teachers and the education sector at large,” the statement concluded.
