By Kodjo Adams, GNA
Accra, Oct. 5, GNA – Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, on Monday reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to resolving outstanding grievances of teachers, including the payment of promotion arrears and the implementation of the deprived-area allowance.
He noted that the Government had initiated processes to address the concerns raised by the teacher unions and improve conditions of service in the education sector.
Mr Iddrisu gave the assurance at this year’s Ghana Teacher Prize to commemorate teachers and recognise their contribution to national development.
He said the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, with the support of the Ministry of Finance, would engage the teacher unions on their expired collective agreement on conditions of service.
He said the Government was committed to fulfilling its manifesto pledge on the payment of a deprived-area allowance to teachers serving in underserved communities.
The education minister said discussions were ongoing to validate the data on deprived schools and communities to determine who qualified for the allowance and ensure its effective implementation.
“We are sure that there is absolute government commitment to the manifesto pledge on the deprived-area allowance. What we need to do is validate the data, then we can begin the process of implementation,” he said.
The Minister said the Government had also committed resources to clear outstanding promotion arrears to teachers.
The Ghana Education Service, in collaboration with the relevant institutions, had been tasked to validate the records of teachers who had been promoted but were yet to receive their new salary grades and associated arrears, he explained.
Mr Iddrisu said the exercise was expected to cover more than 51,000 teachers, adding that the Government would make the necessary financial arrangements to settle the outstanding arrears.
The minister commended teachers for their contribution to the development of the country, describing them as the “architects” of every profession.
“We all owe it to the teacher. No profession is possible without the teacher, and for that reason, we recognise you and celebrate you,” he said.
The education minister disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama had approved a new integrated model for basic education infrastructure.
He said the model would bring key basic education facilities together within a single development to ensure more efficient use of resources and improve access to quality education.
Under the proposed model, a basic school complex would include kindergarten, primary and junior high school facilities, as well as laboratories, libraries and information technology facilities.
He said the Government had directed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure that new basic education infrastructure reflected the integrated model.
Mr Iddrisu said the initiative was part of efforts to address infrastructure deficits in the education sector, particularly the large number of schools without electricity.
He cited data indicating that about 10,750 schools across the country were still without electricity, affecting approximately three million children.
He said the government would work to mobilise resources through the appropriate funding mechanisms to reduce the infrastructure deficit and ensure that pupils and teachers had access to better learning environments.
Mr Prosper Tachie, the President, Ghana National Association of Teachers,called for the empowerment of teachers in three key areas; legal authority, professional confidence, and economic security.
He said teachers needed the legal authority to perform their professional responsibilities, including maintaining discipline in schools, while also having the confidence and financial security to meet their basic needs.
He cited a World Bank report on the global teaching profession published in May 2026, which emphasised the importance of teachers to the skills development of the global workforce.
Mr Tachie called for greater involvement of teachers in education policy formulation, saying their experiences at the classroom level should inform decisions affecting the sector.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
5 Oct. 2026
Caption pictures attached
Reporter: Kodjo Adams
Email: [email protected]