Teacher unions in Ghana have suspended their planned industrial action following a meeting with the government over concerns about the salary placement of newly promoted teachers.
The decision was taken after the unions met with the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, on Monday, August 31, 2026.
The unions had earlier threatened to go on strike if the issue was not resolved by the end of the day.
The teacher unions were unhappy about delays in placing newly promoted teachers on their correct salary levels.
According to the unions, some teachers who had been promoted were not receiving the financial benefits that should come with their new positions because their salaries had not yet been adjusted.
The unions had been expecting the promotion and salary placement process to be completed under the automatic promotion system.
The problem is linked to a directive from the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.
The department requested additional lists and documents before the promotions could be fully implemented.
However, the teacher unions disagreed with this requirement. They said it did not match an earlier assurance from the Ghana Education Service (GES) that the automatic promotion system would be implemented by August 2026.
This situation created concerns among teachers who were waiting for their promotions to reflect in their salaries.
Following the meeting with the Minister of Education on Monday, the teacher unions decided to suspend their planned strike.
Instead of proceeding with the industrial action, the unions have agreed to continue discussions with the government in an effort to find a solution to the outstanding salary placement issues.
The suspension means the immediate threat of a strike has been put on hold while the discussions continue.
The Ministry of Education and the teacher unions are expected to continue their engagement on the matter.
The main issue to be addressed is the placement of newly promoted teachers on their appropriate salary levels and ensuring that they receive the financial benefits attached to their promotions.
Teachers affected by the delay will therefore have to wait for further updates from the government and their respective unions.
The latest development is expected to bring some relief to teachers and prevent possible disruptions to teaching and learning while the government works with the unions to resolve the issue.
