The nationwide strike by teachers in Ghana’s pre tertiary education sector remains in force after renewed negotiations between government and the teacher unions ended without an agreement.
Representatives of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ghana Education Service and the affected teacher unions met on Tuesday in another attempt to resolve the dispute, but the discussions failed to produce a settlement.
The parties are expected to return to the negotiating table on Wednesday, October 7, as government continues efforts to address the issues that prompted the industrial action.
One of the central matters under consideration is the processing of outstanding information relating to teachers who have received promotions.
The completion of the outstanding administrative processes is necessary before the affected teachers can receive the promotion arrears owed to them.
Speaking to journalists after Tuesday’s negotiations, the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, Thomas Musa, urged teachers to remain firm while awaiting more definite commitments from government.
Mr Musa said the unions were seeking clear timelines concerning the completion of the outstanding processes and the payment of monies owed to teachers.
The latest discussions form part of continuing efforts to end the industrial action and restore normal teaching and learning in public pre tertiary schools across the country.
The unions have consistently demanded that government address outstanding financial obligations to teachers, particularly promotion arrears and other matters associated with their conditions of service.
The strike has affected academic activities in public schools nationwide, with the unions maintaining that they require concrete measures and clearly defined timelines before they will consider returning to the classroom.
Government, meanwhile, has maintained that it remains committed to resolving the dispute and has continued negotiations through the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ghana Education Service.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has previously appealed to teachers to return to their classrooms while negotiations continue, assuring them that government is prepared to work towards an amicable settlement.
The minister has also announced that teachers who qualify for the 20 percent deprived area allowance will receive the payment once the validation process for eligible beneficiaries has been completed.
With Tuesday’s discussions ending without a breakthrough, attention has now shifted to Wednesday’s meeting.
The teacher unions are expected to press government for specific deadlines concerning the completion of administrative processes and the settlement of outstanding payments before any decision is taken on the continuation or suspension of the strike.
