Eastern Region teacher unions insist strike continues over unresolved concerns

Teacher unions in the Eastern Region have thrown their weight behind the ongoing nationwide strike by teachers, insisting that the action will continue until their concerns over working conditions are addressed.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers' Association of Ghana (PRETAG) said they remained firmly behind their national leadership in the strike action declared on Thursday, September 25, 2026.

The unions made the position known at a press conference held at the GNAT Hall in Koforidua on October 2, 2026, to highlight what they described as unresolved issues on the education and labour front.

According to the unions, teachers in the region were currently on strike, resulting in classrooms being left empty.

They acknowledged the disruption caused by the industrial action but said teachers could not be expected to return to the classroom while what they described as fundamental concerns remained unresolved.

“We are not necessarily happy with this development, since we are also parents with wards in schools,” the unions said, adding that they would not allow the employer to “ride roughshod” over teachers.

Delayed collective agreement

One of the major concerns raised by the unions is the delay in negotiating a new Collective Agreement for teachers.

They said negotiations for the new agreement were expected to have been completed by June 2026, but this had not happened.

According to them, the existing agreement had elapsed, leaving teachers uncertain about the conditions under which they were currently working.

The unions questioned the security of teachers' tenure and the commitments of the employer under the current situation.

Promotion and salary arrears

The teacher unions also accused the employer of failing to automatically place teachers who passed their promotion examinations in December 2025 and February 2026 on their new ranks.

They said the delay had denied the affected teachers the salaries corresponding to their new positions, as well as retrospective arrears.

The unions described the situation as an unacceptable delay affecting teachers who had successfully completed the promotion process.

20% deprived area allowance

Another key issue raised was the implementation of the 20% Deprived Area Allowance.

The unions said the allowance had not been implemented for teachers serving in underserved and remote areas.

They questioned why teachers who had accepted postings to deprived communities and continued to work under difficult conditions were being denied the allowance.

They argued that teachers serving in such areas deserved recognition for their sacrifices and access to conditions that would enable them to work effectively.

Strike to continue

The Eastern Regional teacher unions also expressed frustration with what they described as delays by the employer, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Controller and Accountant-General's Department in resolving the issues.

They called on the relevant institutions to address their concerns and meet the expectations of teachers.

The unions said they would continue to support their national leadership and urged it not to back down until the issues had been resolved.

“Teachers deserve their due; teachers deserve better, and until the right thing is done and done well, the STRIKE CONTINUES,” the statement concluded.