Public basic schools across the country are expected to resume normal academic activities on Monday, October 12, 2026, following the suspension of a nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions. The industrial action, which began on September 25, 2026, was initiated by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers over delays in placing promoted teachers on their appropriate salary scales and the non-payment of promotion allowances and outstanding arrears.
The unions suspended the strike on Friday after reaching an agreement with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on outstanding allowances and arrears. Union leaders subsequently directed their members to return to the classroom on Monday while discussions on unresolved concerns continued.
The decision followed engagements with the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment and the Council of State earlier on Friday. GNAT General Secretary, Mr Thomas Musah, urged teachers to resume work, stating that discussions with the FWSC on promotion allowances, deprived-area allowances and outstanding arrears had been concluded.
Similarly, NAGRAT President, Mr Jacob Anaba, assured teachers that outstanding arrears owed them would be paid. He noted that appeals from well-meaning Ghanaians for the unions to suspend the strike highlighted the critical role teachers play in national development.
“We hope not to go to this length of industrial action again. We urge everyone, including the media and the public, to join the advocacy for improved conditions of service for teachers,” he said. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the FWSC, Dr George Smith-Graham, disclosed that the government would announce the modalities for paying the deprived-area allowance in January 2027.
He explained that arrears related to promotion and placement would be paid to 51,000 teachers by October 16, 2026, while payments to the remaining beneficiaries were expected to be completed by the end of the month.
Dr Smith-Graham further indicated that negotiations on the complementary digital instruction support allowance had been concluded, with payments expected to commence in November 2026. Discussions on the continuous professional development allowance had also been completed, with payment anticipated in December 2026.
However, he noted that negotiations on other outstanding matters would continue. The unions’ decision to embark on the strike was primarily driven by concerns over delays in placing promoted teachers on their appropriate salary scales, alongside the non-payment of promotion allowances and accumulated arrears.
