The nationwide strike by Ghana’s pre-tertiary teacher unions will continue after renewed discussions with government officials failed to produce an agreement.
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Ghana Education Service (GES) and representatives of the teacher unions met on Tuesday, October 6, to address the issues behind the ongoing industrial action.
However, the meeting ended inconclusively, with both sides expected to return to the negotiating table on Wednesday, October 7.
A major issue discussed was the processing of outstanding data for teachers who have been promoted but are yet to receive placement on their new salary grades and corresponding arrears.
The unions have also been demanding progress on negotiations for a new Collective Agreement and implementation of the 20% deprived-area allowance.
General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musa, urged teachers to remain firm as they await clearer timelines from government on when the outstanding processes will be completed.
The unions have previously rejected calls to suspend the strike based solely on government assurances, insisting that concrete action is required before they return to the classroom.
The industrial action, which began on September 25, has disrupted teaching and learning in public pre-tertiary schools across the country.
Government has maintained that it is committed to resolving the dispute and has been engaging the unions through the FWSC and GES. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has also appealed to teachers to return to work while negotiations continue.
The unions say they will continue the industrial action until sufficient progress is made on their concerns.
