The Ashanti Regional Secretariats of the three major teacher unions the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRE-TAG) have reaffirmed their unequivocal support for the ongoing nationwide industrial action declared by their national leadership.
In a Joint Press Statement issued for immediate release on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in Kumasi, and signed by the regional leadership, the unions said the strike, which took effect from Friday, September 25, 2026, became necessary after prolonged engagements, missed deadlines, and unfulfilled commitments by government and its agencies.
According to the statement, teachers have remained committed to Ghana’s education despite difficult working conditions, adding that such commitment must be matched by fairness, respect, and concrete action.
THREE PRINCIPAL CONCERNS
The unions outlined three principal concerns driving the industrial action.
1. Automatic Placement of Promoted Teachers: The unions are demanding the immediate placement of all duly promoted teachers, including those who passed the December 2025 and February 2026 promotion examinations, on their appropriate salary grades, with payment of the corresponding arrears effective January 2026, as demanded by the unions. They noted that teachers have already conceded some months of arrears, but said further delay is unacceptable, stressing that promotion must not remain a promise without implementation.
2. A New Collective Agreement: The unions lamented that the existing Collective Agreement has expired, yet negotiations expected to conclude by June 2026 remain unresolved. They described the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission’s intransigent posture as an obstacle to progress and demanded a clear, credible, and time-bound roadmap for concluding and implementing the new agreement.
3. Implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance: The statement highlighted the plight of teachers in deprived, rural, and underserved communities who work under challenging conditions. They argued that the Deprived Area Allowance is essential to attracting and retaining teachers in those communities and demanded concrete implementation arrangements and a verifiable timetable.
WORKLOAD AND PROFESSIONAL DIGNITY
Beyond the three principal concerns, the unions also raised issues of workload, wellbeing, and professional dignity. They questioned whether it has become a crime to be a teacher in Ghana, citing mounting frustration over excessive demands and neglected welfare concerns.
The statement noted that beyond classroom teaching, teachers undertake preparation, assessment, reporting, meetings, training, and administrative duties while supporting learners and engaging parents. They called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the teacher unions to jointly review workloads, eliminate duplicate reporting and unnecessary administrative demands, and ensure that meetings and professional development are properly planned and resourced.
They also demanded accessible, confidential counselling and referral services, and training for school leaders to recognize distress, stating that teachers must be able to report exhaustion, harassment, and excessive workloads without humiliation.
CALL ON PRESIDENT MAHAMA TO INTERVENE
While acknowledging recent engagements with Government, the unions said teachers require implementation, not further assurances. They demanded a transparent monitoring mechanism, verifiable implementation records, and deadlines for outstanding cases.
The Ministry of Education, GES, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department were called upon to provide a coordinated account of placements and payments for affected teachers to cross-check against their records.
The unions further called on His Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama, to intervene decisively, maintaining that GES and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission have repeatedly ignored presidential directives. They urged the President to ensure compliance and restore dignity and sanity to the teaching profession.
MESSAGE TO MEMBERS AND PARENTS
The Ashanti Regional Secretariats, who say they represent about 40 percent of Ghana’s teaching population, urged their members to remain calm, disciplined, united, and resolute, and to strictly follow the national leadership’s directives.
They stressed that the industrial action is not an abandonment of duty, recognizing the disruption to learners, parents, and guardians, but said their demand for fair treatment is inseparable from their commitment to quality education.
The statement also urged parents and the public to discuss teachers’ concerns respectfully, warning that ridiculing teachers before children undermines learning and discipline.
FINAL POSITION: NO MORE PROMISES
In their final position, the unions stated: “Teachers seek what is lawfully due to them. Government must honour its commitments, and dialogue must deliver results. Promises have been made. Deadlines have passed. The time for concrete action is now.”
They cautioned that members in the Ashanti Region will not accept further promises or assurances as grounds for calling off the strike. They demanded verifiable evidence of payment of the outstanding promotion-related salary arrears by 16 October, 2026, insisting that any decision to call off the strike must be backed by evidence of payment to affected teachers.
“Until the outstanding issues are satisfactorily addressed and our national leadership directs otherwise, we shall continue to support the industrial action,” the statement declared.
It concluded with the rallying call: “Enough of Delays. Honour the Commitments. Resolve the Issues. Let Teachers Return to the Classroom with Dignity. Long Live GNAT! Long Live NAGRAT! Long Live PRETAG! Long Live the Unity of Ghanaian Teachers!”
The statement was signed by Daniel Kwaku Atakora, Regional Secretary, GNAT; Dr. Eric Kwame Buah, Regional Chairman, NAGRAT; and Nana Richard Owusu Asumadu, Regional Chairman, PRETAG.
