Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has announced that government will begin paying outstanding promotion arrears owed to teachers, with at least 51,000 promoted teachers expected to have their new salary grades validated and their arrears paid by 16 October 2026.
Haruna Iddrisu made the announcement at the 2026 Teacher Prize ceremony in Accra, where he also renewed government’s appeal to striking teachers to return to the classroom while negotiations over their demands continue.
He said government has committed to paying promotion arrears owed to all eligible teachers from January 2020.
According to the Minister, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department have been directed to validate the records of at least 51,000 promoted teachers for placement on their new salary grades.
“I have given the GES and the Controller and Accountant-General up to 4 p.m. today, 5 October, to validate at least not less than 51,000 promoted teachers to be put on their new salary grades and their arrears paid through a supplementary intervention on or before 16 October.”
He said the remaining teachers among the approximately 80,000 beneficiaries would have their arrears and salary adjustments addressed by the end of October.
“I give you that pledge, and I’ll stand in on 30 October on behalf of the President,” Mr Iddrisu said.
The Education Minister said government is currently engaging the teacher unions on three major issues.
These include the expired collective agreement and conditions of service, the proposed 20 per cent deprived-area allowance, and payment of promotion arrears.
On the deprived-area allowance, Mr Iddrisu said government remains committed to fulfilling its manifesto pledge but wants the relevant data validated to determine which teachers and locations qualify.
He explained that the validation is necessary because teachers may be transferred from deprived areas to other parts of the country, raising questions about continued eligibility for the allowance.
He said government and the unions must therefore agree on clear criteria to determine who qualifies for and who receives the allowance.
Mr Iddrisu also said the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has been given the mandate, with the support of the Finance Ministry, to engage the teacher unions on their conditions of service.
The Minister appealed to teachers to end the industrial action and resume normal academic work.
He described teachers as “architects of the future” and said the country owes much of its development to the teaching profession.
He acknowledged that many teachers continue to work under difficult conditions and that improvements are needed in their conditions of service.
However, he urged all stakeholders to work together to improve the management of the economy and address the concerns confronting teachers.
Mr Iddrisu also announced plans for a new integrated model of basic education infrastructure.
He said government has directed that future basic education infrastructure should reflect the integrated model, which is intended to address challenges identified in the education sector.
Under the proposed model, a school complex will include kindergarten, primary and junior high school facilities, as well as a changing room, laboratory, library and ICT facilities.
He said the model is expected to become the standard for basic education infrastructure under the government.
Funding for the initiative is expected to be incorporated into the GETFund formula from 2027, with plans for each region to begin the construction of at least 10 such integrated schools.
Mr Iddrisu said the initiative is part of government’s response to infrastructure deficits affecting basic education across the country.
He reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting teachers and improving the education system and urged striking teachers to return to the classroom.
