Ghana: Teachers' strike enters its second week, 80,000 promoted staff await their raises

The Ghanaian teachers' strike has entered its second week following the failure of negotiations on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, between the government and unions, reports RFI. Discussions were scheduled to resume on Wednesday, October 7. The movement, which began on September 25, has left classrooms empty in a country that has made free high school education one of its political hallmarks.

At the heart of the conflict is a career promise that has remained a dead letter. Approximately 80,000 teachers have earned a higher rank over the past year without the accompanying salary increase, according to the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT). The government explains this delay by citing difficulties in processing files and has promised to pay the amounts owed before October 30, 2026.

A collective bargaining agreement expired since June

The second demand concerns the collective bargaining agreement, which expired in June and has still not been renewed more than three months later. The third point is the 20% allowance intended for teachers assigned to disadvantaged areas. Isaac Baah, head of compensation at GNAT, recalls that John Mahama had committed, if elected, to implement it "as a priority." Eighteen months after his government came to power, it is not yet in place. The executive branch wants to verify the list of beneficiaries first and is considering payment in January.

The movement is led by GNAT, NAGRAT, which brings together university-educated teachers, and PRETAG. The unions are also demanding the full implementation of the agreement reached on August 31, 2026, with the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, "without any modification," according to Cosmos Ennu Kwaw, GNAT regional secretary for Greater Accra, as quoted by MyJoyOnline.

Exam classes on the front line

Students preparing for their final exams are the most exposed: their revision time is shrinking and delays are accumulating, observes George Tackie, a Ghanaian analyst interviewed by RFI. He attributes the deadlock to budgetary constraints: "money is lacking," he says, pointing to the cost of free secondary education and suggesting that families should cover half of the school fees.

This is the dilemma faced by several states on the continent: expanding access to school without having secured the corresponding payroll. In Ghana, the world's second-largest cocoa producer and a major gold exporter, the question raised by this strike is less about resources and more about budgetary priorities.

Negotiations are ongoing. None of the unions have announced a resumption of classes at this stage, and instructions are expected to be communicated through their official channels.