Teacher unions declare immediate strike over conditions of service

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) have declared an immediate strike over unresolved concerns regarding conditions of service, promotions and deprived-area allowances.

The three teacher unions announced the decision at a press briefing in Accra on Friday, September 25, 2026, directing all pre-tertiary teachers to withdraw their services and leave the classroom until further notice.

President of PRETAG, King Ali Awudu, said the unions’ existing conditions of service expired in June, adding that attempts to negotiate a new agreement since last year had not produced an outcome.

“You will recall that we have once engaged the media and informed you that our conditions of service have expired since June. All efforts to get a new one negotiated since last year have yielded no fruits,” he said.

The unions are also dissatisfied with a proposed 10% increase in the digital allowance, which currently stands at GH¢800 per year.

Mr Awudu further raised concerns over the failure to implement an agreement to automatically place about 80,000 teachers who sat for aptitude tests in December 2025 and February 2026 on the appropriate salary scale.

According to him, the agreement remains unimplemented even though September salaries have already been processed.

Another outstanding issue, he said, is the deprived-area allowance, which has been under consideration since 2009.

Mr Awudu said a commitment to introduce a 20% allowance for teachers working in deprived areas had yet to be implemented.

He said the continued failure to resolve the outstanding issues had left the three unions with no option but to direct their members to withdraw their services.

“We are asking all teachers that with immediate effect, as soon as this information goes out, they should put all their tools down, leave the classroom, go home and have a very good rest and wait until they hear from leadership again,” he said.

The strike is expected to affect teaching and learning across Ghana’s pre-tertiary education sector as the unions await further engagement and resolution of their concerns.