TEACHERS SUSPEND STRIKE: 3 KEY ISSUES AND WHAT GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO
GHANA’S THREE PRE-TERTIARY TEACHER UNIONS HAVE SUSPENDED THEIR NATIONWIDE STRIKE FOLLOWING FURTHER ENGAGEMENTS WITH GOVERNMENT. THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES CENTRE ON PROMOTION PLACEMENT AND ARREARS, THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT, AND THE PROPOSED 20% DEPRIVED AREA ALLOWANCE.
The nationwide strike by Ghana’s pre-tertiary teachers has been suspended following negotiations involving the government, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Council of State.
In a report published on Friday, October 9, 2026, MyJoyOnline said the three teacher unions had reached an agreement with government on modalities for addressing outstanding concerns.
The unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).
GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah announced that the strike had been suspended and called on teachers to return to the classroom on Monday, October 12.
The development follows the nationwide industrial action that began on September 25, after the unions said previous engagements had not resolved their concerns.
But what exactly were the unions demanding, and what has been reported about the latest agreement?
Here are the three key issues at the centre of the dispute.
READ RELATED RESOURCES HERE: TEACHER STRIKE: FWSC WARNS OF FURTHER ACTION AS FRIDAY DEADLINE LOOMS
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE:
1. PROMOTION PLACEMENT AND OUTSTANDING ARREARS
One of the main reasons for the strike was the delay in placing promoted teachers on their appropriate salary grades and paying the arrears owed to them.
The unions maintained that teachers who had successfully completed their promotion examinations should receive the corresponding salary placement and financial entitlements without unnecessary delays.
According to MyJoyOnline’s October 9 report, 52,000 promoted teachers are expected to receive their salaries with the relevant adjustments on October 16, 2026. The remaining promoted teachers are expected to receive their adjusted salaries by the end of October, according to FWSC Chief Executive Dr George Smith-Graham.
These dates relate to the reported arrangements for promotion-related salary adjustments. They should not be interpreted as confirmation that every affected teacher has already been paid.
Citi Newsroom has also reported on the suspension of the strike following engagements with the Council of State and the FWSC.
For affected teachers, the next important step is to monitor their salary placement and verify whether the agreed adjustments and arrears have been processed.
Read the original reports:
- MyJoyOnline: Teachers suspend strike after reaching agreement with government
- Citi Newsroom: Teacher unions suspend strike after talks with Council of State
2. THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT AND TEACHERS’ CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
The second major issue concerned negotiations on a new Collective Agreement covering teachers’ conditions of service.
The unions had raised concerns over delays in concluding negotiations on the agreement, which contains provisions relating to teachers’ employment conditions and allowances.
This issue must be distinguished from a general salary increment. The strike was not simply a demand for a new salary increase for teachers; it concerned the outstanding matters raised by the unions, including negotiations on their Collective Agreement and the relevant conditions of service.
The October 9 reports confirm that the Collective Agreement was among the issues discussed during the engagements leading to the suspension of the strike.
However, the full text of the signed modalities and a detailed breakdown of every provision were not included in the reports reviewed for this article. It would therefore be premature to claim that all negotiations have been completed or that every allowance under the Collective Agreement has already been approved for payment.
The important point is that the Collective Agreement remains a distinct part of the process, and teachers will need clear information about the provisions agreed upon and the steps for implementation.
Smart Teachers Avenue will continue to follow official statements from the unions and the relevant authorities as further details become available.
DETAILED LESSON PLANS & SCHEMES OF WORK
Get detailed lesson plans and Schemes of Work for Nursery, KG, Primary, JHS and SHS to help you prepare, plan and teach effectively.
3. THE 20% DEPRIVED AREA ALLOWANCE: JANUARY 2027 TARGET
The third major issue was the proposed 20% Deprived Area Allowance for eligible teachers serving in deprived communities.
The allowance has been a longstanding concern for teachers, particularly those working in underserved and hard-to-reach areas.
Before the latest negotiations, government had indicated its commitment to introducing the allowance from January 2027, subject to the validation of relevant data and the development of an implementation framework.
Citi Newsroom reported on September 28 that a committee chaired by the Minister of Labour and Employment had been established to validate data relating to the proposed allowance.
The January 2027 date must be understood in this specific context: government’s commitment is to develop the modalities for implementing the Deprived Area Allowance, with payments intended to begin in January 2027.
This is not the same as saying that all payments under the Collective Agreement will begin in January 2027.
The distinction is important because the deprived-area allowance is one of the three specific issues that led to the strike, while negotiations on the broader Collective Agreement are a separate matter.
The key issue now is the implementation of the agreed process, including the relevant data, eligibility arrangements and payment modalities.
READ RELATED RESOURCES HERE: WHAT DO YOU THINK FRUSTRATES TEACHERS MOST IN THE PROFESSION TODAY?
The suspension marks a change in the situation following more than two weeks of industrial action.
MyJoyOnline reported that the unions called on teachers to resume work on Monday, October 12, following the agreement.
The next stage will involve following the implementation of the commitments relating to promoted teachers, the Collective Agreement and the Deprived Area Allowance.
For promoted teachers, the dates reported by FWSC provide a timeline against which affected members can monitor their salary adjustments.
For teachers concerned about the Collective Agreement, further clarity is needed on the provisions agreed upon and the process for concluding and implementing negotiations.
For teachers serving in deprived communities, the January 2027 target for the proposed allowance will be an important milestone to watch.
The suspension of the strike should therefore be reported separately from the completion of every outstanding payment. The agreement sets out a path for addressing the concerns, while implementation remains the next step to monitor.
END-OF-TERM EXAMINATIONS FROM CRECHE TO SHS
Get quality End-of-Term Examination Questions with Marking Schemes for learners from Creche to SHS, carefully prepared to support effective assessment.
THE KEY TAKEAWAY
The teacher strike has been suspended following engagements between the three pre-tertiary teacher unions and government.
The dispute centred on three key issues: placing promoted teachers on their appropriate salary grades and paying their arrears, concluding negotiations on the Collective Agreement, and implementing the proposed 20% Deprived Area Allowance.
The latest reports provide a timeline for promotion-related salary adjustments and identify January 2027 as the intended start of payments under the proposed deprived-area allowance.
They do not establish a new general salary increment for teachers, nor do they confirm that every outstanding payment has already been made.
The focus now shifts to implementation and clear communication of the agreed arrangements.
READ RELATED RESOURCES HERE: HOW SMART TEACHERS ARE QUIETLY BUILDING WEALTH
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Do you believe the latest agreement provides a clear path to resolving the three issues that led to the strike? Which of the three issues do you think teachers will be watching most closely over the coming weeks?
SOURCES
- MyJoyOnline — Teachers suspend strike after reaching agreement with government, October 9, 2026
- Citi Newsroom — Teacher unions suspend strike after talks with Council of State, October 9, 2026
- Citi Newsroom — Government outlines measures to address concerns of striking teacher unions, September 28, 2026
- Ghana News Agency — Employment Minister meets with striking teacher unions, October 9, 2026
Share your experience and ideas in the comments. Your strategy could help another teacher take the first step.
Follow Smart Teachers Avenue on Facebook, TikTok and YouTube for practical teacher development, professional growth and financial education.
📞 Phone: +233 503910155 / +233233910155
📧 Email: info.teachersavenue@gmail.com
💬 WhatsApp: Click Here To WhatsApp Us
Follow Smart Teachers Avenue and Stay connected with us for daily educational resources, financial education, teaching tips and school leadership insights.
YOU CAN CONTACT US ON ↓
📘 Facebook – FOLLOW HERE
🎵 TikTok – FOLLOW HERE
▶️ YouTube – SUBSCRIBE HERE
✈️ Telegram Channel – JOIN HERE
👥 Telegram Community Chat: – JOIN HERE
👥 Facebook Community Chat: – JOIN HERE
WhatsApp Channel – FOLLOW HERE for daily updates, teaching resources and exclusive educational content.
Join our growing community of teachers across Ghana and beyond who trust Smart Teachers Avenue as their preferred platform for teaching resources, professional development, financial education and school leadership.
One Comment