By Francis Kobena Tandoh
Teachers in public basic and second-cycle institutions in the Ashanti and Eastern Regions have commenced an indefinite strike over issues pertaining to promotion grievances and other matters, according to a letter on Friday.
The letter from concerned teachers in the Ashanti Region, addressed to the General Director of the Ghana Education Service and copied to the leadership of the various teacher unions in the country, said their action is premised on the urgent notice issued to the government on September 22 concerning the employer’s failure to fulfill its side of the agreement on promotion salaries and arrears.
“We, the concerned teachers of the Ashanti Region, write to you regarding the “Urgent Notice to All Teachers” issued by the national leadership of the Teacher Unions on Tuesday, 22nd September 2026, concerning the government’s failure to fulfill its agreement on promotion salaries and arrears,” read the letter.
According to the teachers, the deadline given to the government to address their issues had elapsed while the grievances had been unattended to by the duty bearers.
It added, “As of today, Friday, 25th September 2026, the midday Thursday deadline has passed. The government has failed to address the critical issues, including the 2025 promotion placements, payment of arrears, renewal of the Collective Agreement, and the payment of the Deprived Area Allowance.”
“Consequently, in response to this disregard and to honor our commitment, we, the teachers of the Ashanti Region, declare an immediate indefinite strike,” the letter stated.
The group is therefore calling on all teachers across the Ashanti and Eastern Regions to withdraw their services immediately from all public basic and second-cycle institutions, remain calm and united, strictly adhere to all directives issued by the regional coordinating team, and ignore any intimidation from the government of the industrial action.
Meanwhile, teachers in other regions of the country, according to our sources are expected to join the strike by close of the day as the teachers believe the leadership of the three teacher unions; the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) have failed their members on the issues.
Teachers who were successful in the December 2025 promotion examination to various grades, including Principal Superintendent, Assistant Director II and I, and Deputy Director, were initially promised by the government to be placed on their appropriate salary levels with arrears paid by August 31, 2026, which the government failed to meet.
Based on agitation by teacher unions, a meeting was convened under the auspices of the Minister for Education with other stakeholders, including the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) and teacher unions, in which an agreement was reached for the government to place the said teachers on their right salary levels with arrears fully paid.
Checks conducted by Ghana Eye Report have, however, revealed that only a handful of the promoted teachers had been placed on their new salary levels, with the majority not placed. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
