Ghana's New School Year Opens With a Strike

Ghana's Education Ministry has been proud of getting the school calendar back on track. It says that for the first time, pupils from kindergarten to university all reported back in September. That achievement is now under threat.

Since Friday, 25 September, the country's three main pre-tertiary teacher unions have been on an indefinite nationwide strike, emptying classrooms just weeks into the new academic year.

What the unions want
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) declared the action after a 24 September deadline passed without a settlement.

Their demands are the delayed negotiation of a new Collective Agreement, the failure to place newly promoted teachers on their correct salary levels with the arrears owed, and non-implementation of a 20 per cent allowance for teachers in hard-to-reach areas.

A statement reported by Ghana Eye Report put the number of teachers involved at around 350,000. The dispute is not new. In August, the unions threatened the same action but suspended it after an emergency meeting with Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu on 31 August.

Talks so far
On 28 September, the unions met the minister, along with officials of the Controller and Accountant-General's Department and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. Iddrisu appealed to teachers to return to work.GNAT said afterwards that the meeting produced nothing beyond earlier promises, and told members to stay home until arrears show up on payslips.

Government has set out a roadmap. The Ghana Education Service must submit outstanding data on promoted teachers by 5 October, and data on up to 29,000 teachers has been received so far. A validation committee is working on the deprived-area allowance, with implementation targeted for January 2027, subject to validation.The Fair Wages commission will resume Collective Agreement talks on 6 October.

The wider picture
Trouble is brewing in higher education too. The Technical University Teachers' Association of Ghana had given government until 22 September to pay its 2025/2026 book and research allowance or face a strike. I could not confirm whether it has since acted. The Ghana Association of University Administrators had declared an indefinite strike in August, which could paralyse admissions and salary processing at public universities.

What is at stake
Children pay first. Public school classes are unattended, and in the Ashanti Region some schools reportedly closed entirely. Government says it wants to protect the September-to-July calendar. Teachers say they are tired of promises and want payment. A written, dated commitment to finish negotiations, which GNAT indicated it could take to its members, may be the fastest route back to class.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/ Science Communicator,
Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,

International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding. (USIP)

[email protected]
+233555275880

References
MyJoyOnline, "Protect the school calendar while we address your concerns – Haruna Iddrisu appeals to striking teachers." https://myjoyonline.com/protect-the-school-calendar-while-we-address-your-concerns-haruna-iddrisu-appeals-to-striking-teachers

Ghana Eye Report, "Over 300,000 public school teachers in Ghana commence indefinite nationwide strike," 25 Sep 2026. https://www.ghanaeyereport.com/over-300000-public-school-teachers-in-ghana-commence-indefinite-nationwide-strike/

YEN.com.gh, "Teacher Unions Declare Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Promotion Arrears." https://yen.com.gh/education/312603-teacher-unions-declare-nationwide-strike-unpaid-promotion-arrears/

MyJoyOnline, "Teacher unions reject government plea, vow to stay home until salaries reflect on payslips." https://www.myjoyonline.com/teacher-unions-reject-government-plea-vow-to-stay-home-until-salaries-reflect-on-payslips/

Coleman Publications, "Teacher Unions reject government appeal to end strike, demand concrete action." https://colemanpublications.com/education/teacher-unions-reject-government-appeal-to-end-strike-demand-concrete-action

Adomonline, "Education Minister outlines roadmap to address striking teachers' concerns," 28 Sep 2026. https://www.adomonline.com/education-minister-outlines-roadmap-to-address-striking-teachers-concerns/

GBC Ghana Online, "Teacher strike: FWSC to meet unions on October 6." https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/news/education/teacher-unions-strike/2026/

MyJoyOnline, "TUTAG warns of strike action due to unpaid Book and Research allowance," 15 Sep 2026. https://www.myjoyonline.com/tutag-warns-of-strike-action-due-to-unpaid-book-and-research-allowance/

GhanaWeb, "GAUA strike: Public universities face major operational paralysis," Aug 2026. https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/GAUA-strike-Public-universities-face-major-operational-paralysis-2047109