The Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST), Dr Peter Anti, has called for greater respect, recognition and fair treatment for teachers as Ghana joins the rest of the world to commemorate .
In a message marking the occasion on Monday, October 5, Dr Anti stressed that teachers must be given the respect and recognition they deserve, as well as all benefits legitimately due them.
“Teachers deserve RESPECT, RECOGNITION and what is due them. That is non-negotiable,” he stated.
His message comes at a time when thousands of pre-tertiary teachers across Ghana remain on strike over outstanding conditions of service and delays in the implementation of agreed benefits.
World Teachers’ Day is being observed this year under the theme, “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.”
The 2026 commemoration marks 60 years since the adoption of the joint 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, which established international benchmarks for the rights, responsibilities, professional development, training and working conditions of educators.
The anniversary is intended to draw attention to the critical role teachers play in shaping societies while highlighting the need to protect and strengthen the teaching profession.
It also comes amid growing pressures on teachers arising from technological changes, climate change, migration, increasing workloads and concerns over remuneration and other working conditions.
Against this backdrop, Dr Anti’s message highlights the importance of ensuring that teachers are not only celebrated symbolically but are also treated fairly through concrete policies and actions.
The call for respect and recognition comes as the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) continue their nationwide strike.
The three teacher unions began the industrial action on September 25, 2026, following disagreements with the government over the implementation of outstanding demands.
The unions have maintained their position despite ongoing engagements with government, with some regional branches, including the Greater Accra branch, directing members to remain at home until the issues are resolved.
One of the major demands is the automatic placement of teachers who have been promoted onto their appropriate salary scales, together with the payment of related arrears dating back to January 2026.
The unions are also demanding the implementation of the 20 percent Deprived Area Allowance, which is intended to provide additional incentive for teachers working in deprived and hard-to-reach communities.
A major issue contributing to the impasse has been disagreement over the process for integrating promoted teachers into the government payroll.
The situation has exposed friction between the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) over the processing of promotions.
While concerns have been raised about the continued reliance on manual, paper-based processes for some aspects of the exercise, the teacher unions are pushing for an automatic electronic system that would facilitate the integration of promoted teachers onto the appropriate salary scales.
The unions argue that delays in the process have resulted in teachers who have earned promotions not receiving the corresponding financial benefits on time.
For teachers, the dispute is therefore not simply about administrative procedures but about receiving remuneration and benefits attached to positions they have already been promoted to.
Dr Anti’s World Teachers’ Day message therefore places the current industrial dispute within the broader question of how Ghana values its teachers.
While World Teachers’ Day provides an opportunity to celebrate educators for their contribution to national development, the current situation also raises questions about whether the profession is receiving the institutional support, recognition and financial commitment required to attract and retain quality teachers.
Teachers remain central to the development of human capital, yet persistent concerns over remuneration, workload, professional advancement and working conditions continue to affect the profession.
Dr Anti’s message, “Teachers deserve RESPECT, RECOGNITION and what is due them. That is non-negotiable,” therefore serves as both a celebration of teachers and a reminder that appreciation must be matched by action.
As negotiations between the government and the teacher unions continue, the resolution of the outstanding issues will be closely watched by teachers, parents, students and other stakeholders in Ghana’s education sector.
By 1960news.com
