Thomas MusahTanko
Teacher unions and the government are set to return to the negotiating table today, October 7, in a renewed attempt to resolve the issues behind the ongoing nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teachers.
Yesterday’s negotiations involving the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the teacher unions ended without an agreement, leaving the industrial action in force.
Today’s meeting is expected to be a crucial engagement, with the unions pushing government to provide firm timelines for resolving outstanding financial obligations owed to teachers.
At the centre of the discussions is the processing of outstanding data for teachers who have been promoted.
The process is required to facilitate the payment of promotion arrears owed to affected teachers.
Speaking to the media after Tuesday’s meeting, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, urged teachers to remain resolute as the unions await concrete commitments from government.
According to him, the unions want clarity on when the outstanding processes will be completed and when teachers affected by the delays can expect their payments.
The latest negotiations form part of broader efforts to end the strike and restore teaching and learning in public pre-tertiary schools across the country.
Standoff
The teacher unions have rejected a plea by the government to call off their strike, insisting that they will not return to the classroom until concrete steps are taken to address their outstanding demands, including the payment of promotion arrears.
The unions, made up of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), said they have heard enough assurances from the government and will now want evidence of action before reconsidering their decision to remain on strike.
The decision followed a meeting between the leadership of the teacher unions and the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, and other government officials yesterday.
The government had outlined measures aimed at addressing some of the concerns raised by the striking unions.
This included a meeting with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission yesterday to engage them on their collective agreement and conditions of service.
The Ministry also said a committee chaired by the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations had been established to validate data relating to the government’s commitment to implement a 20 percent deprived-area allowance for teachers, effective January 2027.
In addition, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has been directed to submit data on promoted teachers to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department by the end of this week, the statement added.
The unions have maintained that outstanding promotion arrears and other issues relating to teachers’ conditions of service must be addressed with clear measures and timelines before they will consider suspending the strike.
The industrial action has disrupted academic activities in public pre-tertiary schools nationwide, putting pressure on the government and education authorities to find a resolution.
Government, for its part, has said it remains committed to addressing the teachers’ concerns and has continued to engage the unions through the FWSC and the GES.
Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has previously appealed to the striking teachers to return to the classroom, assuring them that government is committed to reaching an amicable settlement.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak