The Ministry of Education (MoE) has held a meeting with the leadership of the Teacher Unions, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) over delays in the placement and salary adjustments of teachers who have been promoted.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Pre-Tertiary Association of Teachers Ghana (PRETAG), the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
Teacher Unions Set September 7 Deadline
At the meeting, the Teacher Unions gave the Ministry of Education, GES, and other relevant authorities up to September 7, 2026, to resolve outstanding issues concerning promotion placements and salary adjustments.
The unions indicated that failure to address the outstanding concerns by the deadline could lead to possible industrial action.
According to the unions, the prolonged delay in placing teachers who have been promoted has created financial difficulties, uncertainty, and frustration among affected teachers, many of whom continue to perform duties without receiving the financial benefits and recognition attached to their new ranks.
Call for Immediate Implementation of Promotion Placements
In a statement, GNAT and other teacher unios called on the Ghana Education Service, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and the Public Services Commission (PSC) to expedite the necessary processes to ensure that all outstanding promotion placements are implemented.
The Teacher Unions stressed that although many teachers had successfully completed the required processes and had been promoted, delays in their placement had prevented them from receiving the corresponding benefits and recognition attached to their new ranks.
The associations therefore called for all outstanding promotion placements to be processed and implemented by August 31, 2026, in line with a directive issued by the GES in its press release dated July 28, 2026, and a subsequent letter dated August 22, 2026.
Promotion Arrears
According to sources, the arrears are expected to commence from January 2026 for teachers who sat for the aptitude test in December 2025 and February 2026, subject to the applicable implementation arrangements.
The issue of automatic placement and salary adjustments remains a major concern for teachers who have completed the promotion process but are yet to receive the financial benefits associated with their new ranks.
Concerns Over Directors II and Directors I Ranks
The association also raised concerns about the continued delay in decoupling the Director II and Director I ranks from being coterminous with the positions of District and Regional Directors.
According to GNAT, the situation has affected career progression opportunities and created stagnation within the professional structure of the Ghana Education Service.
The association called for the necessary processes to be completed to enable teachers occupying the affected ranks to progress in their careers without being restricted by the current arrangements.
Delay in Renewal of Collective Agreement
The Teacher Unions also expressed concern over the delay in renewing the Collective Agreement governing the terms and conditions of service for teachers.
The unions indicated that the existing Collective Agreement expired on July 31, 2026, creating uncertainty among teachers and requiring urgent action from the relevant stakeholders.
With regard to the renewal of the expired Collective Agreement, the Minister of Education has agreed to engage the Minister of Finance to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
