The government has made fresh commitments to striking teachers to ensure the restoration of academic work by next week.

Addressing the press after a meeting with the leadership of the teacher unions, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, said a government team put together on the directive of President John Dramani Mahama had held thorough consultations with the unions to seek an early and amicable resolution to the strike which is affecting teaching and learning across the country.

The government team included the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, the Minister for Education, the Controller and Accountant General, and the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

Mr. Iddrisu said the negotiations centred on three core issues.

On promotion arrears, he said government has committed to honour the new grades for all promoted teachers on or before 30th October, 2025.

He disclosed that from Monday, the Controller and Accountant General will validate data of up to 51,000 teachers and provide a supplementary payment schedule for that category while the remaining will have their arrears added to their October salaries.

"Let me repeat that we will not renege on this pledge as government. We will honour that, and we use that to persuade our teachers to return from Monday by considering calling off their industrial action," he said.

He added that government is working to pay the arrears dating back to January 2026.

On the second issue, the 20% deprived area allowance which is a manifesto pledge of the NDC government, the Minister said a committee has been put in place including representatives of the teacher unions and the Ghana Statistical Service to define who qualifies and which communities qualify as rural deprived.

"The second issue that was tabled for purpose of discussion and negotiation has to do with a manifesto pledge of the NDC government and President John Damadi Mahama, which is to pay 20% deprived area allowance to deserving teachers. We need an understanding as to who qualifies to benefit from it, and for our purposes, which area in Ghana will qualify to be declared as rural deprived, and which category of teachers will benefit from it."

"Some data already exists. A committee was put in place which included representatives of our teacher union and the Ghana Statistical Service. A committee has been put in place, including representatives of the teacher union, to validate and provide a roadmap for the implementation of the 20%. It remains a manifesto commitment that we will honour as government, but we need a defined roadmap and framework."

He explained that the allowance is meant to be location-specific and not permanent, citing that a teacher posted to Labaranga in Tamale South or Golu in the Sissala area may qualify but would lose the benefit when transferred to schools like PRESEC or Accra Academy. 

He said a mechanism must be worked out to prevent abuse and that government remains committed to implementing the policy with a clear roadmap.

"If a teacher was posted to Labaraga in the Tamale South constituency, or to Golu in the Tumu area, that teacher may for that purpose be defined as rural deprived. If in the course of placement or transfer, the teacher is brought to PRESEC or to Accra Academy, they would have to lose that benefit of rural deprived. We need to work out a mechanism that does not allow for the abuse of it."

On the third issue, expired conditions of service, Mr. Iddrisu said the unions have been invited to return to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission on Tuesday to negotiate their collective agreement with an expectation that negotiations will not exceed one week.

"The third most important issue and probably significant without diluting what the other two means is for the unions to return on Tuesday to their fair wages and salary commission for negotiation of their expired conditions of service or collective agreement."

"The Chief Executive of Fair Wages assures me that he has accordingly conveyed an invitation to the unions to attend same for them to negotiate. It is our expectation that negotiation will not exceed a week."

He thanked the unions for engaging and said they will be consulting their members on government's proposals.

The Minister renewed his appeal to teachers to restore normal academic work to preserve the stabilized September academic calendar.

"Our first and primary concern is the restoration of normal academic work, and we are hopeful that sometime into next week we should see a restoration," he said.

Responding to a question on TUTAG's demand for a one-off payment of book and research allowance and post retirement contract for professors and senior members including librarians, Mr. Iddrisu said the Minister of Finance will review it and subject it to Cabinet consideration while appealing to them to suspend their strike and return to work.