Pay Teachers Arrears By Oct. 31 Or Risk Fresh Strike – Minority Tells Government
Pay Teachers Arrears By Oct. 31 Or Risk Fresh Strike – Minority Tells Government
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has issued a strong ultimatum to government to pay all outstanding promotion arrears owed to teachers by October 31, 2026, or risk another nationwide shutdown of schools.
The demand was made by the Member of Parliament for Offinso North and member of the Education Committee, Hon. Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, on behalf of the Minority Caucus, following the suspension of the two-week nationwide strike by the three pre-tertiary teacher unions.
According to him, every teacher who was promoted must be placed on the correct salary grade with all arrears calculated from January 1, 2026, fully paid by October 31.
The call comes just hours after the Ministry of Education announced that it has honoured part of its pledge to teachers.
In a press statement issued on Friday, October 16, 2026, by Hashmin Mohammed, Press Secretary to the Ministry, government announced that promotion-related salary adjustments and arrears have been paid to 56,003 teachers of the Ghana Education Service (GES)
The statement said validation is ongoing for the remaining 23,367 teachers, and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) will honour the payment by the end of October to fully resolve the issue.
“The Ministry of Education pledged that by the end of October 2026, concerns raised by teachers regarding arrears due them will be dealt with. In line with that pledge, payment has been made to 56,003 teachers. Validation of the remaining 23,367 teachers is continuing,” the Ministry said.
But the Minority says that is not enough and government must stick to the agreed timelines or face the consequences.
The Agreed Timelines
Following weeks of tension and mediation efforts led by former Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho at the Ministry of Labour and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), government and the teacher unions signed a joint communiqué.
Under the agreement:
– First batch of 51,000 teachers to receive promotion arrears by October 16, 2026
– Remaining teachers to receive their placement and arrears by October 31, 2026
– Digital Instruction Support Allowance to be paid in November 2026
– Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Allowance to be paid in December 2026
– Deprived Area Allowance to be rolled out in January 2027
The Minority said teachers returned to the classroom based on these assurances, and it is imperative that government honours its part.
“The unions have made clear that the strike will resume if any of these dates is missed,” the Minority statement said.
The caucus also reminded government that the disruption caused by the strike affected pupils across the country, particularly candidates preparing for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), as well as children in deprived communities who depend solely on public schools.
Reconcile Figures – Minority Demands
The Minority is also asking government to reconcile conflicting figures. While the unions claim more than 80,000 teachers were promoted, the official government figure is 58,620 and now 79,370 (56,003 paid + 23,367 remaining).
The caucus wants a verified list published to ensure no eligible teacher is excluded from payment.
Other demands include:
1. Digitising the promotion-to-payroll process to avoid future delays
2. Briefing Parliament’s Education Committee on progress weekly
3. Agreeing on a firm timeline for a new collective agreement to replace the 2024 one
4. Developing a learning recovery plan for BECE and WASSCE candidates who lost two weeks of contact hours
“The 2024 Collective Agreement already provides the framework to resolve these matters. What is needed now is implementation, not more promises,” the Minority stressed.
Education Minister Assures
Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, had earlier assured teachers at a symposium organized by the National Teaching Council (NTC) at GNAT Hall that government will pay all arrears.
“The government has accepted that I am responsible for honouring my obligations as an employer to all teachers. And we have accepted that we will pay their arrears. We will honour them. If by October 30, your promotion arrears are not paid, then I will have no honour,” Haruna Iddrisu said.
The three unions — Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) — embarked on strike on September 25, 2026, after government missed a September 24 deadline.
They suspended the strike on October 10 after high-level engagements.
Now all eyes are on October 31. Will government pay the remaining 23,367 teachers?
http://Kasoanews.com will monitor the situation and bring you updates as the deadline approaches. Teachers are advised to check with their district education offices and IPPD coordinators to ensure their validation is completed.
