Government races to end teachers’ strike as Education Minister holds crunch talks with unions

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu is meeting the leadership of Ghana’s three major pre-tertiary teacher unions as government seeks to end the nationwide strike that has disrupted teaching and learning across the country. The meeting, which began at the Ministry of Education on Monday, September 28, brings together the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG). Officials from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) are also part of the engagement. The unions began the indefinite industrial action on Friday, September 25, after a September 24 deadline for government to address their concerns passed without a resolution. Their grievances include unpaid promotion-related arrears, delays in negotiating a new Collective Agreement and the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.