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The Ghana Education Service (GES) has appealed to pre-tertiary teacher unions to suspend their ongoing strike as government intensifies efforts to address their outstanding concerns.
Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, said the industrial action could disrupt efforts to maintain a stable and predictable academic calendar.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, September 29, Professor Davis said the GES was working with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department and other relevant stakeholders to resolve the issues raised by the unions.
His appeal comes less than two weeks into the new academic year, which he described as an important milestone in restoring stability to Ghana’s education calendar after years of disruptions.
“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 said.
According to Professor Davis, the progress has helped create a more predictable and synchronised academic calendar, allowing parents and other stakeholders to plan ahead.
He therefore urged the unions to reconsider their decision while discussions to resolve their concerns continue.
“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 highlighted steps taken by the GES to address teachers’ concerns, including the mechanisation of promotions last year.
He assured teachers that the Service remained committed to fulfilling its obligations despite existing challenges.
The GES Director-General stressed that protecting the stability of the academic calendar was a priority and called on all stakeholders to work together to prevent further disruption to the school year.
The 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 September 25, 2026, after their demands remained unresolved.