By Daniel Agbesi Latsu
Kadjebi (O/R), Oct. 10, GNA – The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTA)-Ghana has welcomed the decision by teacher unions to call off their strike.
The Council urged all parties to honour the timelines agreed upon to address outstanding concerns.
The Council said the resumption of classroom activities would restore teaching and learning, protect the academic calendar and ease the burden on parents and guardians.
The strike was called off following a communiqué signed on October 09, 2026, by the government, represented by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Ghana Education Service (GES), and teacher unions, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).
In a press statement dated October 10 and signed by Mr Gapson Kofi Raphael, the General Secretary of NCPTA-Ghana, the Council expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and other stakeholders for their roles in resolving the impasse.
It also commended the leadership and members of the teacher unions for returning to negotiations and agreeing to resume classroom work.
The statement said the agreement outlined timelines for addressing key concerns, including the payment of salary arrears to 51,000 teachers by October 16, 2026, with the remaining payments expected by the end of October.
It said modalities for the Deprived Area Allowance were expected to be addressed in January 2027, while the Digital Support Allowance and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Allowance were scheduled for November and December 2026, respectively.
The Council urged the FWSC, GES and teacher unions to work proactively to meet the agreed deadlines, particularly those concerning the expired Collective Agreement and the 20 per cent Deprived Area Allowance.
It stressed the need for sustained dialogue and accountability to ensure that the commitments made during negotiations were fulfilled.
The statement said the reopening of schools would benefit not only learners but also parents, businesses and the wider economy.
It noted that the prolonged closure of schools had placed additional responsibilities on parents, many of whom had to supervise their children at home while working to provide for their families.
It added that the disruption had affected school-related businesses, including food vendors, stationery shops, school transport operators, uniform suppliers and caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme.
The Council said the return to school would help restore learning routines, improve preparations for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), and ensure continuity in government education programmes.
It therefore urged parents and guardians of learners in public basic and secondary schools to prepare their wards for the resumption of classes.
The Council also called on school-based PTA executives to collaborate with school management to develop strategies to recover the lost instructional hours.
It reaffirmed the importance of cooperation among government, teachers, parents and other stakeholders in safeguarding the quality of pre-tertiary education in Ghana.
Schools are expected to resume academic work on Monday is October 12, 2026.
The three teacher unions – the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) – declared the industrial action on September 25, 2026.
The unions are demanding payment of salary arrears for teachers who were promoted but had not received the corresponding salaries, payment of the 20 per cent Deprived-Area teacher Allowance and the renewal of their Collective Agreement.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah