Teacher Unions Declare Nationwide Strike Effective Today
Three Teacher Unions have declared a nationwide strike effective today, Friday, September 25, 2026.
The unions include the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).
In a joint press release, the Unions said they have observed with grave concern an uneasy calm, growing tension and agitation among teachers over what they describe as the lukewarm attitude of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD), as well as foot-dragging by the government on concerns of teachers.
The Unions said the unresolved issues have created widespread disaffection, anger and disillusionment among the rank and file of their members and are seen as an act of provocation which has culminated in the industrial action.
The first issue cited is the delay in negotiating the Collective Agreement.
According to the Unions, the existing Collective Agreement has expired and the negotiation of a new one, which should have been completed on or before June 2026, has not been done. They said the concern has been raised with the FWSC several times, but as of today, it remains outstanding.
The second grievance is the failure to automatically place newly promoted teachers.
The Unions said there was an agreement between the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service and the CAGD on one part and the Teacher Unions on the other, to automatically place the two cohorts of teachers who sat for the aptitude test in December 2025 and February 2026 and were successful, on their respective salary scales with arrears effective January 2026.
The failure to implement that agreement, they said, has ignited tension and anger among members.
The third issue is the failure to implement the Deprived Area Allowance. The Unions referenced Section 17(2) of the 2024 Collective Agreement, which provides that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service shall review the Deprived Area Report for implementation, and the Teacher Unions shall then negotiate the figures with the FWSC.
They said this has not been done, in utter disregard of the stipulation.
The Unions further described the attitude of the FWSC not only as a blatant disregard for the National Labour Commission ruling in 2024, but also a disregard for the directive by President John Dramani Mahama to ensure that teachers in deprived, hard-to-reach areas are paid a 20 per cent allowance of their basic salary to motivate them.
In light of the circumstances and given the delays, unfulfilled promises on the part of the duty bearers and the FWSC, as well as threats by the rank-and-file, the Unions said they stand with their members and have declared a nationwide strike to press home their demands.
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