NAGRAT, GNAT, PRETAG declare immediate strike over conditions of service, allowances

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) have declared an immediate strike, citing prolonged delays in resolving key concerns affecting teachers’ conditions of service.

The three teacher unions announced the industrial action in a press statement on Friday, September 25, 2026, directing all pre-tertiary teachers across the country to withdraw their services until further notice.

Among the issues cited by the unions are the expired conditions of service, promotion-related concerns, the proposed adjustment of the digital allowance and the delayed implementation of a deprived-area allowance for teachers working in underserved communities.

President of PRETAG, King Ali Awudu, said the unions’ existing conditions of service expired in June, but attempts to negotiate a new agreement have failed to produce an outcome.

He explained that discussions over a new agreement had been ongoing since last year, but the unions had yet to reach an acceptable resolution with the relevant authorities.

“You will recall that we have once engaged the media and informed you that our conditions of service have expired since June. All efforts to get a new one negotiated since last year have yielded no fruits,” he said.

Digital allowance increase

The unions have also raised concerns about a proposed 10% increase in the digital allowance, which currently stands at GH¢800 per year.

According to Mr Awudu, the proposed adjustment does not address the broader concerns of teachers regarding their conditions of service and related benefits.

Promotion and salary placement

Another major issue highlighted by the unions is the failure to implement an agreement concerning approximately 80,000 teachers who took aptitude tests in December 2025 and February 2026.

Mr Awudu said there was an agreement for the affected teachers to be automatically placed on the appropriate salary scale after completing the required aptitude tests.

However, he said that commitment had still not been fulfilled, despite the fact that September salaries had already been processed.

The unions say the delay has further increased frustration among affected teachers who have been waiting for the implementation of the agreed arrangement.

Deprived-area allowance

The unions also expressed concern over the long-standing issue of an allowance for teachers working in deprived areas.

Mr Awudu said discussions on the matter had been ongoing since 2009, yet the issue remains unresolved.

He said a commitment had been made to introduce a 20% allowance for teachers posted to deprived areas, but the promised benefit had not been implemented.

According to him, the failure to resolve the matter over the years has added to the concerns of teachers serving in communities where working conditions can be particularly challenging.

Teachers directed to leave classrooms

Mr Awudu said the continued lack of progress on the outstanding issues had left the unions with little option but to withdraw their services.

He therefore directed all pre-tertiary teachers to immediately stop teaching and leave their classrooms until further instructions are issued by the leadership of the unions.

“We are asking all teachers that with immediate effect, as soon as this information goes out, they should put all their tools down, leave the classroom, go home and have a very good rest and wait until they hear from leadership again,” he said.

The strike will remain in effect until further notice, with the unions expected to communicate their next steps following engagements with the relevant authorities.