The Ashanti Regional branches of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) have reaffirmed their decision to remain on strike until concrete evidence is provided that outstanding issues affecting teachers have been resolved.
The three unions said they were supporting the ongoing nationwide industrial action and would not encourage teachers to return to the classroom based solely on assurances from government.
Speaking at a press conference in Kumasi, Ashanti Regional Secretary of GNAT Daniel Atakora said teachers were waiting for verifiable evidence, including bank alerts, showing that outstanding promotion-related payments had been made to affected teachers.
According to the unions, previous assurances had not resulted in sufficient implementation, making it necessary for teachers to demand evidence of actual payments before the strike could be called off.
One of the major concerns is the automatic placement of teachers who successfully passed the December 2025 and February 2026 promotion examinations.
The unions are demanding that the affected teachers be placed on their appropriate salary grades and receive the corresponding arrears dating back to January 2026.
They are also calling for the conclusion of negotiations on a new collective agreement. The unions said the previous agreement had expired, while negotiations on a replacement agreement, which were expected to have been completed by June 2026, remained unresolved.
Another key demand is the implementation of the deprived-area allowance for teachers working in rural and underserved communities. The unions argue that the allowance is important in attracting and retaining teachers in areas where educational resources and personnel can be limited.
Beyond salary-related concerns, GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG have raised issues surrounding teachers’ workloads and professional welfare.
They said teachers are required to handle classroom preparation, assessments, reporting, meetings, training, administrative responsibilities and engagements with parents and learners, often under challenging conditions.
The unions are therefore calling for a review of workloads, duplicated reporting requirements and what they consider unnecessary administrative demands. They have also called for improved counselling and referral services for teachers, as well as training for school leaders to identify and respond to teacher welfare concerns.
The unions further want the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to provide coordinated records on teacher placements and payments.
They believe such records would allow affected teachers to independently verify whether their payments have been processed.
The latest position follows another meeting between the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the three teacher unions on October 6. That meeting ended inconclusively, with the parties agreeing to continue negotiations the following day. The unions maintained that the industrial action would continue while discussions remained unresolved.
The Ashanti Regional unions have consequently maintained that teachers require implementation rather than further promises before returning to their classrooms.
Source: Thepressradio.com
