Teacher Unions strike bites hard in Ashanti Region; schools forced to close down

The industrial action declared by teacher unions is biting hard in the Ashanti Region, with some schools forced to close down after teachers failed to report to their duty posts.

Students in many basic schools were left stranded on Monday as no teachers showed up to attend to them in their various classrooms.

The three teacher unions — the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT-GH) — declared a nationwide strike effective Friday, September 25, 2026.

The strike follows the government's failure to resolve outstanding issues concerning the payment of promotion allowances and arrears owed to teachers across the country.

OTEC News reporters who visited some basic schools in the Kumasi Metropolis observed that classrooms were empty, with students left with no option but to return home.

Some of the stranded students who spoke to OTEC News expressed disappointment about the situation, appealing to the government to swiftly address the concerns of their teachers to enable them to return to class.

Meanwhile, leadership of the teacher unions says the strike will remain in force until all outstanding allowances and arrears are fully paid.