Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has called on the government and pre-tertiary teacher unions to intensify negotiations to end the ongoing nationwide strike and restore teaching and learning across the country.
According to Eduwatch, the strike, which began on September 25, 2026, had entered its 12th day as of October 7, disrupting instructional time and affecting the academic calendar.
The education advocacy organisation said the strike followed unresolved concerns over the placement of promoted teachers on their appropriate salary scales and payment of related arrears, delays in concluding negotiations on a new Collective Agreement, and the non-operationalisation of the Deprived Area Allowance.
Eduwatch warned that every additional day of the disruption reduces instructional time and could undermine learning outcomes, with vulnerable learners likely to be affected most because they depend on schools for teaching, feeding and other essential support services.
The organisation urged the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service (GES), Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) and the teacher unions to reach a credible and time-bound agreement that puts the interests of learners at the centre.
It also called on the CAGD and GES to immediately ensure that promoted teachers receive their rightful compensation without further delay.
Eduwatch further raised concerns about the management of collective bargaining, noting that the existing Collective Agreement was due to expire in June 2026, while the unions had indicated that proposals for its review were submitted several months earlier.
It said negotiations should begin sufficiently ahead of the expiry of existing agreements, with clear timelines for reaching conclusions, arguing that delays that eventually lead to industrial action ultimately impose the cost on learners through lost instructional time.
Beyond the immediate strike, Eduwatch identified weaknesses in teacher human-resource and payroll management and proposed a number of reforms, including digitising GES and CAGD processes to reduce delays in promotion and payroll placement.
The organisation also recommended decentralising teacher promotions by giving Regional Education Directorates greater responsibility for assessment, verification and routine processing, while the GES Council maintains national oversight.
Eduwatch further called for an annual promotion cycle with clear timelines and urged authorities to make payroll placement automatic and time-bound once a promotion has been approved.
It said teachers should also be able to track the status of their promotions and payroll placement through a digital platform.
On the Deprived Area Allowance, Eduwatch said the proposed 20 per cent allowance was intended to improve teacher motivation and retention in deprived and hard-to-reach communities but has yet to be operationalised.
The organisation urged the Ministry of Education, teacher unions and GES to urgently agree on a workable framework for identifying deprived areas and eligible beneficiaries, with the Ministry of Finance providing the necessary fiscal and budgetary support for implementation.
Eduwatch concluded by urging all stakeholders to ensure immediate payment of outstanding promotion-related benefits, conclude the pending negotiations and restore teaching and learning, while implementing reforms to prevent recurring disputes over collective agreements, promotions, payroll placement, arrears and teacher incentives.
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