Just at the recent 5th Upper East Regional GJA Awards in Bolgatanga, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, made a heartfelt appeal to pre-tertiary teachers across the country: return to the classroom as government works to resolve the longstanding issues surrounding their promotions, salaries, allowances, and conditions of service.
Dr. Apaak acknowledged the legitimacy of the teachers’ concerns, assuring them that government was actively engaging with the teacher unions and relevant state institutions to find lasting solutions. He praised journalists for their vital role in ensuring public accountability and supporting the development of the education sector.
Addressing the current impasse, Dr. Apaak explained that the challenges facing teachers—including delays in implementing promotions for those who had passed their exams—were genuine and had not been dismissed by government. He revealed that nearly 80,000 teachers were affected by a data-transmission problem between the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, a glitch that had prevented the timely adjustment of salaries and allowances.
Government, he said, had reached an understanding with teacher unions that promotions should be processed automatically, without teachers needing to resubmit documents. He assured teachers that there would be no financial disadvantage, with all payments to be backdated to January 2026.
Dr. Apaak also addressed the government’s proposed 20 percent-plus salary incentive for teachers posted to rural and underserved communities—a policy aimed at attracting educators to areas in need. However, he noted that implementation had stalled due to difficulties in defining which communities qualified. To address this, a committee involving the Ministries of Education, Labour Relations and Employment, and the Ghana Statistical Service was being formed to provide the necessary data and criteria.
The Deputy Minister further identified the expiration of the collective agreement between teachers and their employer as a source of tension. Negotiations for a new agreement had been delayed, but government had since tasked the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to engage with teacher union leaders. A high-level meeting involving several ministries and union representatives had also been convened to continue dialogue and seek solutions.
Throughout his speech, Dr. Apaak’s message was clear: government remained committed to honouring all legitimate entitlements owed to teachers. “We continue to appeal to the teachers to go back while we work out the modalities,” he said. “We can be assured that what is due them, no matter how long it takes, will become all their arrears.”
As negotiations continue, teachers are being urged to return to their classrooms, with assurances that the issues at the heart of the strike are being addressed at the highest levels.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com