Three major pre-tertiary teacher unions have threatened to embark on industrial action if the government fails to address long-standing issues contained in their conditions of service.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) say they are dissatisfied with the delay in implementing key provisions agreed upon during previous negotiations.
The warning follows a meeting with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on Thursday, July 16, 2026, which ended without a resolution after the commission indicated it would seek a fresh mandate from the government before continuing negotiations.
Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, PRETAG Vice President Adokwei Ayikwei Awulley said teachers remain concerned about unresolved issues that have featured in their conditions of service for years without implementation.
According to him, one of the key concerns is the stagnation of teachers at the deputy director level due to the lack of a clear promotion pathway.
“The problem that we have is about two main issues that have occurred consistently in our condition of service from 2009 up to date, and it has never been implemented,” he said.
Mr Awulley explained that some teachers who attain the rank of deputy director remain at that level for more than a decade because they cannot progress unless vacancies become available.
He further noted that a directive issued by President John Dramani Mahama to facilitate the promotion of deputy directors has yet to be implemented.
“His Excellency President John Mahama issued a directive that it should be implemented. Until now, it has not been done, and it is also part of the condition of service,” he stated.
The PRETAG Vice President also expressed concern over the failure of successive governments to implement a 20% incentive for teachers serving in difficult and hard-to-reach areas, despite repeated commitments.
He said the unions have given the government until the end of next week to demonstrate its commitment to resolving the outstanding issues.
“If nothing concrete is done, we will advise ourselves. We’ll use all possible means at our disposal to ensure that we get what we are supposed to get.”
The unions maintain that their demands are not new but are existing commitments captured in their conditions of service, which they say the government has failed to honour despite years of negotiations.