The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has given the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and other relevant authorities until September 7, 2026, to resolve outstanding concerns over promotion placements, career progression and conditions of service for teachers.
The association warned that failure to address the issues by the deadline could trigger industrial action.
The warning follows a meeting of the GNAT National Executive held on August 7, 2026, at the association’s headquarters in Accra, where members expressed concern over what they described as prolonged delays affecting critical issues within the Ghana Education Service.
A major concern raised by GNAT is the delay in implementing promotion placements for teachers who have successfully completed the required processes and have been duly promoted.
According to the association, many affected teachers continue to perform duties at their new ranks without receiving the corresponding financial benefits and official recognition attached to their promotions.
GNAT said the situation has created uncertainty, financial difficulties and frustration among affected members, particularly those who have fulfilled all the requirements for promotion.
The association is therefore demanding that all outstanding promotion placements be processed and implemented by August 31, 2026, in line with a commitment contained in a GES press release issued on July 28
GNAT also raised concerns about the continued delay in decoupling the Directors II and Directors I ranks from the positions of District and Regional Directors.
The association said the current arrangement has become an administrative bottleneck that is limiting career progression opportunities within the Ghana Education Service.
According to GNAT, the decoupling would allow teachers and education administrators who qualify for the relevant ranks to progress professionally without the ranks being tied exclusively to specific administrative positions.
The association has consequently called on the GES, FWSC and the Public Services Commission (PSC) to expedite the necessary processes and ensure that affected members are appropriately placed.
GNAT said the action should also be consistent with the directive issued by President John Dramani Mahama on the matter.
Another issue of concern is the delay in renewing the Collective Agreement governing the terms and conditions of service for employees in the Ghana Education Service.
GNAT noted that the existing Collective Agreement expired on July 31, 2026, creating uncertainty over the continued application and protection of conditions of service for teachers.
The association described the delay in renewing the agreement as worrying and called for urgent negotiations between the relevant stakeholders.
It stressed that the renewal of the Collective Agreement is necessary to safeguard the welfare, rights and working conditions of teachers.
GNAT has therefore called on the GES, FWSC and other relevant institutions to take immediate steps to address the outstanding concerns.
The association is demanding that:
Outstanding promotion placements be processed and implemented on or before August 31, 2026, as indicated by the GES in its July 28 press release.
The decoupling of the Directors II and Directors I ranks from the positions of District and Regional Directors be completed.
Negotiations for the renewal of the expired Collective Agreement be fast-tracked to protect the interests and welfare of teachers.
GNAT has set September 7, 2026, as the final deadline for the authorities to act on the issues.
The association said the deadline is intended to give the relevant institutions sufficient time to resolve the concerns and avert possible disruption to education service delivery.
“In the light of the above, the National Executive of GNAT calls on all the relevant authorities to act expeditiously on the aforementioned issues on or before September 7, 2026, to avert any industrial action,” the association said.
The warning places renewed pressure on the education authorities to address the concerns of teachers as the sector prepares for the next phase of the academic year.
GNAT maintained that resolving the outstanding promotion, career progression and conditions-of-service issues is essential to ensuring stability within the Ghana Education Service and protecting the welfare of teachers.
By 1960news.com
