Major teacher unions in the country have declared a nationwide industrial action effective Friday, September 25, 2026, citing delays in negotiating a new collective agreement and failure to implement agreed conditions of service.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Education Teachers’ Association (PRETAG) announced the strike in a joint statement, saying growing frustration among teachers had followed what they described as delays by government agencies in addressing their concerns.
The unions said the existing Collective Agreement had expired, while negotiations for a new agreement, which they said should have been completed by June 2026, had not commenced.
They said repeated engagements with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) had not resolved the matter.
Another major concern is the failure to automatically place newly promoted teachers on their appropriate salary scales.
According to the unions, an agreement between the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, Controller and Accountant-General’s Department and the teacher unions provided for the automatic placement of two cohorts of teachers who passed aptitude tests in December 2025 and February 2026.
The unions said the affected teachers were expected to be placed on the respective salary scales with arrears effective January 2026.
They said the failure to implement the arrangement had generated tension among their members.
The unions also raised concerns over the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance, citing Section 17(2) of the 2024 Collective Agreement.
Under the provision, the Ministry of Education and GES are expected to review the Deprived Area Report, after which the teacher unions would negotiate the applicable figures with the FWSC.
The unions said this process had not been completed.
They further linked the allowance issue to a 2024 National Labour Commission ruling and a directive by President John Dramani Mahama for teachers working in deprived or hard-to-reach areas to receive a 20% allowance on their basic salaries.
The unions said the unresolved issues had resulted in “widespread disaffection, anger, and disillusionment” among teachers.
“Given the delays, unfulfilled promises on the part of the duty bearers and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) as well as threats by the rank-and-file of our members, we the Teachers Unions, do stand with our members and hereby declare a nationwide industrial action (Strike), effective today Friday, 25th September 2026, to press home our demands,” they said.
The statement was signed by GNAT General Secretary Thomas T. Musah, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaaba and PRETAG President King Ali Awudu.
