The nationwide teachers’ strike entered its 12th day on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, after the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) said government’s pledge to pay promotion arrears, starting with about 51,000 teachers by October 16, will not on its own end the industrial action.
PRETAG President King Ali Awudu said teachers want action on wider conditions of service, including a long-promised 20 per cent allowance, before they return to the classroom.
The strike was declared on September 25, 2026, by PRETAG, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT). The three unions have told members to stay home until they communicate otherwise through official channels.
The PRETAG position follows Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu’s pledge that all outstanding promotion arrears will be paid by October 30, 2026.
Government targets October 16 for first tranche of teachers’ promotion arrears
Speaking in Accra on Monday, October 5, Haruna Iddrisu said records of at least 51,000 promoted teachers were being validated so a supplementary payment could be processed for the first batch by October 16.
At least 51,000 would have been ready then we can direct the Controller and Accountant General through the Minister of Finance to get a supplementary payment for the first leg of it, the Minister said during a visit to the data validation centre.
He said about 80,000 teachers in total are expected to receive promotion arrears by the end of October, covering arrears owed from January 2020 onward. GhanaTrends earlier reported on the GES deadline to submit data on 51,000 promoted teachers.
Haruna Iddrisu: “I will have no honour” if arrears are not paid by October 30
At a National Teaching Council event in Accra, the Minister put his reputation on the October 30 deadline.
If by October 30, your promotion arrears are not paid, then I will have no honour, he told teachers, adding that he would stand in on behalf of the President on that date.
He also questioned the manual process used to collect teachers’ data. “We must find a way of doing this better. Why are we doing manual? Why should teachers at this age be filling forms?” he said.
Why PRETAG says promotion arrears alone cannot end the strike
PRETAG argues that the arrears are only one of several unresolved issues. Mr Awudu pointed to a 20 per cent allowance first announced in 2009 by then Education Minister Alex Tetteh-Enyo.
We are in 2026, and we are talking about the same thing that His Excellency also promised, the idea of calling off the strike is such a difficult one. He remarked.
Teacher unions’ demands vs government’s offer
The unions and government remain apart on several points:
- Promotion arrears: Unions want promoted teachers placed on their new salary levels without delay. Government says 51,000 will be paid by October 16 and the rest (about 80,000 in total) by October 30.
- Collective agreement: The teachers’ collective agreement expired in June 2026. Unions want a new one concluded; government says talks are ongoing.
- 20% deprived-area allowance: Government offered to introduce it from January 2027. NAGRAT says the offer is not enough without a formal, documented commitment.
- August 31 agreement: Unions want full implementation of the August 31, 2026 agreement with the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service.
Committee set up on 20% deprived-area allowance
Government has formed a committee, including teacher union representatives and the Ghana Statistical Service, to determine which teachers qualify for the 20 per cent deprived-area allowance.
The Minister said the committee must define what counts as a deprived area and which categories of teachers should benefit.
NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba has said teachers will not return without documented solutions. “We want to go back to the classroom with some respect and honour,” he said.
What the teachers’ strike means for pupils and parents
Public basic and secondary schools remain affected, with reports of schools closing in regions such as Ashanti since the strike began.
Parents of pupils in public schools face continued uncertainty over when normal classes will resume. Private schools are not part of the strike.
What happens next in the teachers’ strike
Validated data on promoted teachers is expected to go to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department for payment of the first tranche by October 16.
Remaining promoted teachers are to be placed on their new grades and paid by October 30. The unions say they remain open to talks but want written commitments before suspending the strike.
Updates on the dispute are expected from the Ministry of Education and the three teacher unions.
Key details at a glance
- Strike declared: September 25, 2026, by GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG
- First tranche of promotion arrears: about 51,000 teachers by October 16
- All promotion arrears (about 80,000 teachers): by October 30
- Arrears cover the period from January 2020 onward
- Collective agreement expired: June 2026
- Government’s 20% deprived-area allowance offer: from January 2027
- PRETAG: arrears alone will not end the strike
FAQs
When will promoted teachers be paid their arrears?
Government says the first tranche for about 51,000 teachers will be paid by October 16, 2026, with all promotion arrears settled by October 30, 2026.
Why are teachers in Ghana on strike?
GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG are demanding payment of promotion arrears, a new collective agreement and implementation of a 20% deprived-area allowance.
Has the teachers’ strike been called off?
No. As of October 6, 2026, the unions say the strike remains in force, and PRETAG says the arrears pledge alone is not enough to end it.
The teachers’ strike remains unresolved despite government’s firm timeline to pay promotion arrears to 51,000 teachers by October 16 and the rest by October 30. With PRETAG and NAGRAT insisting on written commitments on the collective agreement and the 20% allowance, the return of public school pupils to class now depends on how quickly both sides can close the remaining gaps.
