The Ghana Education Service (GES) is racing to submit the promotion data of at least 51,000 teachers to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) by 4pm on Monday, October 5, 2026, as Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu says it would be “inexcusable” for government not to pay promoted teachers’ arrears by October 30.
The deadline is central to resolving the nationwide strike by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), which began on September 25, 2026.
The Minister, who visited GES staff compiling the data on Sunday, October 4, said the completed list would allow government to direct the Finance Ministry to secure a supplementary payment for the first phase of arrears.
The Monday deadline covers data submission only. It is not the date for paying all outstanding arrears.
Haruna Iddrisu: October 30 arrears payment must be honoured
“It will be inexcusable for government not to honour the payment of the teachers’ promoted arrears by October 30th,” Mr Iddrisu said, according to MyJoyOnline.
He said the government expects between 51,000 and 52,000 promoted teachers to be ready for processing once GES completes its work.
GES Director-General says service is doing “everything possible”
GES Director-General Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis said the service was working to meet the deadline. “We are doing everything possible to meet the deadline,” he said.
He explained that GES only facilitates the process and does not handle payments, which fall under the CAGD.
Paper-based processing of teachers’ data questioned
During the visit, the Minister objected to teachers filling forms manually and the volume of physical documents being handled by GES staff.
“We must find a way of doing this better than we are doing. Why are we doing that?” he asked, adding: “The only way we can do so is using an IT infrastructure system.”
Prof. Davis said he would prefer electronic processing but that the choice rests with the Controller. “That is my wish, but the answer is the Controller’s. That is outside our remit,” he said, describing the use of “bags in the 21st century” as inefficient.
Teacher unions have also urged CAGD to drop the requirement for individual teachers to submit hard copies of promotion letters, proposing that GES provide a master list instead.
Teachers’ strike demands and government timelines
The unions are demanding:
- Correct salary placement for promoted teachers
- Payment of outstanding promotion arrears
- Conclusion of a new collective agreement
- Implementation of the 20% deprived-area allowance
Government’s roadmap, outlined by the Minister on September 28, sets out the following:
- Promotion data deadline: 4pm, Monday, October 5, 2026
- New salary grades: to reflect from the October 2026 payroll
- Promotion arrears: first-phase payment targeted by October 30, 2026
- 20% deprived-area allowance: January 2027, subject to data validation
- Promoted teachers’ data received as of September 28: about 29,000
- Expected total now: 51,000–52,000 promoted teachers
We earlier reported on the Education Minister’s meeting with GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG on September 28, after which the unions refused to call off the strike.
What it means for promoted teachers and students
For promoted teachers, meeting the Monday deadline is the first step towards seeing new salary grades and arrears reflected on their payslips.
The unions have said they want concrete action, including arrears credited to their accounts, rather than assurances. Until then, classes in public pre-tertiary schools remain affected.
What happens next
Once GES submits the data on Monday, the CAGD is expected to process the new salary placements, while the Education Ministry seeks supplementary funding from the Finance Ministry for the arrears.
Whether the unions suspend the strike will likely depend on how quickly the data is processed and paid.
Key details at a glance
- GES must submit promoted teachers’ data to CAGD by 4pm, Monday, October 5, 2026.
- Between 51,000 and 52,000 promoted teachers are expected to be covered.
- Haruna Iddrisu says failing to pay arrears by October 30 would be “inexcusable”.
- GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG have been on strike since September 25, 2026.
- The 20% deprived-area allowance is targeted for January 2027.
- The Minister and GES boss both favour electronic processing over paper forms.
FAQs
When will promoted teachers’ arrears be paid in Ghana?
The Education Minister says government must honour payment of promoted teachers’ arrears by October 30, 2026, starting with a first-phase supplementary payment.
Is the teachers’ strike in Ghana called off?
No. As of October 4, 2026, GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG had not called off the strike, which began on September 25.
What is the GES deadline for promoted teachers’ data?
GES must submit the data of promoted teachers to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department by 4pm on Monday, October 5, 2026.
With the Monday deadline approaching and the October 30 payment date now publicly committed to by the Education Minister, the coming weeks will test whether government can deliver on promotion arrears and bring Ghana’s striking teachers back to the classroom.
