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Status: Confirmed

The Ministry of Education is scheduled to meet the country’s teacher unions on Monday, 28 September 2026, as government seeks to resolve the issues that triggered a nationwide strike by GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG.

The meeting is expected to bring together the teacher unions, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD).

The Ministry’s Press Secretary and Spokesperson, Hashmin Mohammed, disclosed the planned engagement on Friday, 25 September. He said Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu would use the meeting to bring the relevant institutions and the unions together to seek an amicable resolution.

The development comes on the same day GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG began nationwide industrial action over unresolved concerns including promotion salary placement and arrears, the Deprived Area Allowance and the delayed renewal of their Collective Agreement.

Key Takeaways

• Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu will meet the teacher unions on Monday, 28 September 2026.
• FWSC and CAGD are expected to participate in the engagement.
• The meeting comes as GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG begin nationwide industrial action.
• Promotion salary placement and arrears are among the major issues at the centre of the dispute.
• The unions have also raised concerns about the Deprived Area Allowance and the renewal of the Collective Agreement.
• Government says the Education Ministry alone cannot resolve all the compensation-related issues and that the relevant institutions must be involved.
• The outcome of Monday’s meeting could determine the next stage of the industrial dispute.

In Brief

The Ministry of Education will meet representatives of GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG on Monday, 28 September, in an attempt to resolve the issues behind the nationwide teacher strike.

The meeting will also involve the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.

The engagement follows the unions’ decision to commence industrial action on Friday, 25 September, after their 24 September deadline expired without the resolution they had sought.

Introduction

Ghana’s teacher promotion and conditions-of-service dispute has entered a new phase.

While GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG have begun nationwide industrial action, the Ministry of Education has announced a fresh engagement with the unions and the public institutions directly involved in salary administration and compensation negotiations.

The meeting scheduled for Monday, 28 September 2026 will bring the key parties back to the negotiating table.

For thousands of teachers awaiting promotion placement and arrears, the immediate question is whether the engagement will produce a concrete implementation arrangement.

➡️ Related: [GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG Declare Nationwide Strike Over Teacher Salaries and Allowances]
➡️ Related: [Teacher Promotion 2026: January Effective Date, September Placement and Automatic Placement]

Why the Ministry Is Meeting the Teacher Unions

According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, the Education Ministry is concerned about the strike and its potential effect on Ghana’s academic calendar.

Hashmin Mohammed said the Minister intends to engage the relevant stakeholders because some aspects of the dispute go beyond the Ministry’s direct authority.

The FWSC and CAGD therefore have an important role in the discussions.

FWSC is involved in public-sector compensation and conditions-of-service negotiations, while CAGD is responsible for government payroll administration.

The Ministry’s position is that resolving the outstanding concerns requires the institutions involved in the implementation chain to engage directly with the unions.

➡️ Related: [How FWSC and CAGD Affect Teacher Salaries in Ghana]
➡️ Related: [Teacher Salary Placement in Ghana: What Affected Teachers Should Know]

The Promotion Arrears Dispute

Promotion placement remains one of the central issues behind the strike.

At a meeting on 31 August 2026, government and teacher-union representatives agreed that teachers who had successfully completed the promotion process would have January 2026 as the effective date for their substantive appointment.

The arrangement also provided for placement on the appropriate salary scales by September 2026, with a supplementary payroll for teachers who were not captured by the end of September.

However, the unions subsequently said that the agreed placement and payment of arrears had not been fully implemented.

On 22 September, they gave government until midday on 24 September to address the outstanding issues. When that deadline passed, the unions declared nationwide industrial action effective 25 September.

How Many Teachers Are Affected?

Current reporting on the unions’ position indicates that about 8,000 promoted teachers are still awaiting payroll placement.

The broader August agreement had been discussed in the context of a much larger group of promoted teachers, with government indicating that the September exercise was intended to complete salary scaling for eligible teachers.

The exact number of teachers ultimately requiring supplementary placement may therefore depend on the payroll and personnel data being reconciled by GES and CAGD.

This distinction is important because the number of teachers awaiting placement at a particular point in time may differ from the total number covered by the wider promotion exercise.

Other Issues Behind the Strike

Promotion arrears are not the only issue.

Deprived Area Allowance

The unions have also raised concerns over the 20 percent Deprived Area Allowance.

The allowance is part of the broader conditions-of-service dispute and has remained among the issues the unions want addressed.

Collective Agreement

The unions are also demanding progress on the renewal of their Collective Agreement.

The agreement governs important aspects of teachers’ conditions of service, making its renewal a significant part of the current negotiations.

The unions had already raised the matter during earlier engagements with government. The Education Minister had indicated that he would engage the Finance Minister on the issue.

➡️ Related: [Teacher Collective Agreement in Ghana: What It Means for Teachers]
➡️ Related: [Deprived Area Allowance: Teachers’ Current Demand Explained]

What the Ministry Says

The Ministry of Education has appealed for engagement rather than continued industrial action.

Hashmin Mohammed said the Ministry was “deeply worried” about the strike because of the potential disruption to the academic calendar.

He explained that the Minister’s role is to create a platform for the relevant institutions and the teacher unions to engage, particularly because compensation matters involve institutions beyond the Education Ministry.

The Ministry also says GES has a role in providing the necessary personnel and payroll data required to facilitate payment of outstanding liabilities.

What Monday’s Meeting Will Need to Address

For the engagement to resolve the immediate dispute, several questions will be central.

First, the parties will need to establish the exact number of promoted teachers who remain outside the payroll.

Second, they will need to determine the mechanism and timeline for placing those teachers on their new salary scales.

Third, the parties will need to clarify the payment of arrears based on the agreed January 2026 effective date.

Fourth, the Deprived Area Allowance and Collective Agreement negotiations will need to be addressed.

Finally, the parties will need to communicate clearly to teachers what has been agreed and what happens next.

The outcome will therefore be important not only for the current strike but also for confidence in the implementation of agreements reached between government and organised labour.

Explicit Guidance for Affected Teachers

While the negotiations continue, affected teachers should take practical steps to protect their employment and payroll records.

1. Follow official union directives

Teachers should follow formal instructions issued by their recognised union leadership regarding the strike, any suspension of the action and subsequent directives.

The unions previously instructed members to remain calm and follow official directives.

2. Keep promotion documents

Teachers affected by delayed placement should retain their promotion examination results, promotion letters, appointment documents, payslips and other relevant GES records.

3. Monitor payslips

Teachers should carefully examine their payslips when salary adjustments begin appearing and confirm whether their new rank and salary scale have been reflected.

4. Check arrears carefully

The August arrangement established January 2026 as the effective date for the substantive appointment of affected promoted teachers. Teachers should therefore check the period covered and calculation of any arrears eventually paid.

5. Do not submit unnecessary applications

The August arrangement provided for automatic placement, meaning affected teachers were not expected to submit additional forms, payslips or application letters for the placement exercise.

6. Be cautious with unofficial information

Teachers should verify information about strike suspension, payroll placement, arrears and allowances through their unions, GES, the Ministry of Education, CAGD or other recognised official channels.

7. Await the outcome of Monday’s engagement

The Monday meeting may result in new directives or an agreed implementation timetable. Teachers should therefore pay close attention to the official outcome before acting on information circulating on social media.

➡️ Related: [Teacher Promotion Arrears 2026: What Affected Teachers Should Check]
➡️ Related: [Automatic Teacher Promotion Placement: What the August Agreement Says]

What Happens Next?

The immediate next step is the Monday, 28 September engagement between the Ministry of Education, teacher unions, FWSC and CAGD.

The Ministry says the objective is to create a platform for direct engagement and find an amicable solution to the outstanding concerns.

The teacher unions, meanwhile, have already commenced industrial action.

The situation therefore remains fluid.

Any agreement reached on Monday could lead to further directives from the unions concerning the continuation, suspension or modification of the strike.

EducateGhana.com will monitor the meeting and publish verified updates as they emerge.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Ministry of Education meet the teacher unions?

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, 28 September 2026.

Who will participate in the meeting?

The engagement is expected to involve the teacher unions, the Ministry of Education, FWSC and CAGD.

Why are the teachers on strike?

The unions cite outstanding promotion salary placement and arrears, the Deprived Area Allowance and delays in the renewal of their Collective Agreement.

When did the strike begin?

The nationwide industrial action took effect on Friday, 25 September 2026.

What was agreed about promoted teachers in August?

Government and the teacher unions agreed on a January 2026 effective date, September placement and automatic placement, with a supplementary payroll for teachers not captured by the end of September.

Should promoted teachers submit new forms for placement?

The August arrangement stated that placement would be automatic and that affected teachers would not be required to submit additional forms or application letters.

Conclusion

The teacher strike has now been followed by a fresh opportunity for direct negotiations.

The Ministry of Education is expected to meet GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG on Monday, 28 September, together with FWSC and CAGD, to address the outstanding concerns.

The central issues remain promotion placement and arrears, the Deprived Area Allowance and the renewal of the Collective Agreement.

For affected teachers, the immediate priorities are to follow official union directives, preserve employment and promotion records, monitor payroll changes and await verified information from the negotiating parties.

The outcome of Monday’s meeting will provide the next important indication of the direction of the dispute.

About the Author

Ferdinand Ellis is a Ghanaian education blogger, curriculum specialist, researcher, education policy analyst and educator. He is the Founder and Editor of EducateGhana.com, Ghana’s Education Intelligence Platform, and writes on Ghana’s education policy, teacher careers, curriculum, teacher welfare and developments within the education sector.

Editorial Note

Published: 25 September 2026
Status: Breaking / Developing Story

This article will be updated following the Monday, 28 September engagement between the Ministry of Education, teacher unions, FWSC and CAGD.

The positions of the teacher unions and government are presented separately. EducateGhana.com will rely on official statements and verified reporting when updating the story.