The Ghana Education Service (GES) has appealed to pre-tertiary teacher unions to call off their ongoing strike, as the government works to address their concerns.
Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, warned that the industrial action could undermine efforts to maintain a stable and predictable academic calendar.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, 29 September, he assured the unions that the government is working with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department and other stakeholders to address their concerns.
The appeal comes barely two weeks into the new academic year, which Professor Davis said marked a significant return to stability after years of disruptions to the education calendar.
“For the first time in approximately six years, we have reached a point where students across the various levels of our education system have reported to school within September. This did not happen by accident. It was achieved through hard work,” he noted while addressing the press.
Professor Davis said the progress has created a more predictable and synchronised academic calendar, giving parents and other stakeholders the opportunity to plan effectively.
He therefore urged the unions to reconsider their decision as engagements continue to resolve their outstanding concerns.
“We wish to associate ourselves therefore with the Ministry of Education’s appeal to teachers to rescind their decision as we work hard to address their issues,” he said.
Professor Davis also pointed to efforts by the GES to address teachers’ concerns, including the mechanisation of promotions last year, assuring teachers that the Service remains committed to delivering on its obligations despite the challenges.
He stressed that protecting the stability of the academic calendar remains a priority and called on all stakeholders to work together to ensure that the school year proceeds without further disruption.
The ongoing strike was declared by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) over concerns including unpaid promotion arrears, delays in negotiating a new collective Agreement and the non-implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.
The unions began the industrial action on 25 September 2026, after their demands remained unresolved.
