Teachers’ Strike: Haruna Iddrisu Questions Paper-Based Processing of Promoted Teachers’ Data

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has questioned the paper-based processing of promoted teachers’ data and called for an electronic system.

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Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has questioned the continued use of paper forms in processing information on promoted teachers and called for the adoption of an electronic system.

The comments were made during a visit to Ghana Education Service staff working on the compilation and processing of promoted teachers’ data for submission to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.

The Minister’s comments concern the efficiency and modernisation of the administrative process. They do not, by themselves, establish that an electronic system has already been approved or implemented.

Key Takeaways

• Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has questioned the continued use of paper forms in processing promoted teachers’ data.
• He said the process should be supported by an information technology infrastructure system.
• The Minister made the comments while visiting GES staff working on the promotion-data exercise.
• The current exercise involves compiling information for submission to CAGD for payroll processing.
• Mr Iddrisu said he would raise the issue with the relevant authorities.
• His comments come amid efforts to address teacher-promotion concerns linked to the ongoing nationwide strike.
• The proposed electronic approach is a call for future improvement and should not be confused with an already implemented system.

In Brief

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has raised concerns about the use of paper forms to process information on teachers who have been promoted.

The Minister made the comments during a visit to Ghana Education Service officials working to compile and process promotion data for submission to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.

Mr Iddrisu questioned why teachers and officials should continue to handle large volumes of paper when an electronic system could potentially make the process more efficient.

His comments come as GES works to meet a 4:00 p.m. Monday deadline for submitting promotion information to CAGD, amid the ongoing nationwide teachers’ strike.

Haruna Iddrisu Calls for Electronic Teacher Promotion Processing

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has questioned the continued reliance on paper forms in processing the details of promoted teachers.

The Minister raised the concern during a visit to GES staff who are currently working on the compilation and processing of promotion data for submission to CAGD.

The exercise is part of efforts to complete the administrative processes required to have the promotion details of affected teachers captured for payroll processing.

Mr Iddrisu argued that the process should be modernised through the use of information technology.

“We must find a way of doing this better than we are doing. Why are we doing that? Why should teachers at this age be filling forms?”

He said an IT-based system could provide a more efficient way of handling the information and reduce the burden associated with the current paper-based process.

➡️ Related: Teachers’ Strike: GES Targets October 5 Deadline to Submit Promotion Data to CAGD

➡️ Related: CAGD Clarifies Teacher Promotion Payroll Process: What Teachers Need to Know

Minister Questions Volume of Paperwork

During the visit, Mr Iddrisu also drew attention to the volume of documents and other materials being handled by officials working on the exercise.

He questioned how such a large amount of paperwork could be transported and managed efficiently.

“But how can we carry all this material? How can we carry all this?”

The Minister said the continued reliance on physical forms was no longer appropriate for a modern administrative system.

“We cannot be filling forms by this age,” he added.

His comments point to a broader concern about the administrative burden associated with collecting, checking, transferring and processing large volumes of teacher promotion information.

Minister Proposes IT-Based Approach

Mr Iddrisu said the way forward should involve an information technology infrastructure system.

“The only way we can do so is using an IT infrastructure system,” the Minister said.

The proposed approach would seek to reduce dependence on physical forms and improve the movement and management of promotion information between the relevant institutions.

However, the Minister’s comments should be understood as a call for modernisation. They do not mean that a new electronic teacher-promotion processing system has already been introduced.

Mr Iddrisu said he would raise the matter with the relevant authorities and push for a better system to be adopted in the future.

“I’ll raise questions about this and I think that we must find a better way of doing it than this manner,” he said.

Why the Paper-Based Process Matters in the Current Teacher Strike

The Minister’s comments come at a particularly important time for Ghana’s education sector.

The nationwide teachers’ strike has included concerns over the processing and placement of promoted teachers on their appropriate salary grades and the payment of applicable promotion arrears.

GES is currently working to compile and submit the necessary information to CAGD.

The exercise is therefore not simply an administrative exercise. Its outcome is connected to one of the major issues at the centre of the ongoing industrial dispute.

For affected teachers, the immediate concern remains whether their promotion information will be successfully processed and reflected in payroll.

For government, the episode has also exposed questions about whether the existing administrative system is sufficiently efficient for handling large-scale promotion exercises.

From Paper Forms to Digital Processing

The Minister’s intervention raises a broader question about the digitalisation of teacher administration in Ghana.

A fully electronic system could potentially reduce the need for:

• Large volumes of physical forms.
• Manual movement of documents.
• Repeated data entry.
• Physical storage of records.
• Manual transfer of information between institutions.
• Delays associated with handling paper documentation.

However, moving from a paper-based process to a digital system would require more than simply replacing forms with computers.

An effective system would need reliable data infrastructure, secure authentication, accurate staff records, interoperability between relevant institutions and mechanisms for correcting errors.

It would also need clear responsibility for data verification and approval.

➡️ Related: GES Promotion Data and CAGD Payroll Processing: Understanding the Steps Teachers Should Watch

GES Promotion Data Exercise Under Deadline Pressure

The Minister’s comments came while GES staff were working toward a 4:00 p.m. Monday, October 5, 2026 deadline for processing and submitting promotion information to CAGD.

Regional directors and input officers have been involved in supporting the exercise, with representatives of teacher unions also participating.

The immediate objective is to ensure that the required information reaches CAGD for the relevant payroll processes.

However, submission of the data does not automatically mean that all affected teachers will be paid on the same day.

There is a distinction between:

data compilation → submission → validation and processing → salary placement → payment of applicable arrears.

This distinction remains important as teachers follow developments surrounding the strike.

What the Minister’s Proposal Could Mean for Future Promotions

If an electronic system is eventually developed and adopted, it could change how teacher promotion information is managed.

Instead of relying heavily on physical forms, relevant information could potentially move through an integrated digital workflow.

Such a system could allow authorised officials to:

1. Access verified teacher records.
2. Update promotion information electronically.
3. Upload required supporting documents.
4. Validate information before submission.
5. Track the progress of individual cases.
6. Identify incomplete records.
7. Transfer approved information electronically to the next stage.

The actual design, implementation and institutional responsibilities would, however, need to be determined by the relevant authorities.

The Immediate Issue Remains the October 5 Deadline

While the Minister’s comments have opened an important conversation about modernising teacher promotion administration, the immediate issue remains the ongoing promotion-data exercise.

GES is working to meet the October 5 deadline for submission to CAGD.

For teachers awaiting promotion placement and applicable arrears, the immediate questions are whether the data will be submitted on time, whether CAGD will process it and when affected teachers will see the resulting changes in their payroll.

The longer-term question is whether the current experience will lead to reforms in the way teacher promotion data is collected and processed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Haruna Iddrisu question the paper-based process?

The Education Minister questioned why teachers and officials were still required to handle large volumes of paper forms and argued that technology could make the process more efficient.

What system did the Minister propose?

Mr Iddrisu called for the use of an IT infrastructure system to improve the processing of teacher promotion information.

Has the electronic system already been introduced?

Not according to the information available in the Minister’s comments. He said he would raise the issue with the relevant authorities and push for a better system to be adopted in future.

Why are promoted teachers’ details being processed?

The information is being compiled for submission to CAGD as part of the payroll-processing arrangements for affected promoted teachers.

What is the October 5 deadline?

GES is working toward a 4:00 p.m. Monday, October 5, 2026 deadline for submitting the relevant promotion information to CAGD.

Does submission of the data mean teachers will be paid immediately?

No. Submission is one stage of the process. CAGD would still have to undertake the relevant payroll processing before salary placement and applicable payments are reflected.

Why is the issue important to the teachers’ strike?

The delayed processing and placement of promoted teachers, together with outstanding promotion arrears, are among the issues raised by the teacher unions during the ongoing industrial action.

Conclusion

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has questioned the continued reliance on paper forms in processing information on promoted teachers and called for a more technology-driven approach.

His comments came during a visit to GES officials working under pressure to compile and process promotion data for submission to CAGD.

The immediate exercise is focused on meeting the October 5 deadline. But the Minister’s intervention raises a broader issue about the efficiency of Ghana’s teacher-administration systems.

For the current promotion exercise, the priority remains completing the data process and ensuring that the relevant information reaches CAGD. Beyond the immediate crisis, however, the call for an electronic system could become an important starting point for discussions on digitalising teacher promotion and payroll-related administrative processes.

About the Author

Ferdinand Ellis is a Ghanaian education blogger, curriculum specialist, researcher and education policy analyst. He is the founder of EducateGhana.com, Ghana’s Education Intelligence Platform, and writes on teacher welfare, GES policies, teacher promotion, curriculum implementation and education policy in Ghana.

Editorial Note

This article reports comments attributed to Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu during a visit to GES officials working on the processing of promoted teachers’ data.

The proposed electronic approach is presented as the Minister’s call for future improvement. It should not be interpreted as confirmation that an electronic teacher-promotion processing system has already been approved or implemented.

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