The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) has announced that it has fully processed and paid 6,079 promotion cases involving teachers, including applicable arrears, as a nationwide strike by three major teacher unions enters its second day.
The clarification comes after the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) declared an immediate nationwide strike over unresolved issues, including unpaid promotion arrears and delays in negotiations on their conditions of service.
Breakdown of Processed Cases
According to the CAGD, the 6,079 cases were among 58,620 promotion cases expected from the Ghana Education Service (GES). The Department said GES submitted the completed input forms and corresponding promotion letters for these cases as of September 22, 2026, enabling CAGD to validate and process them.
All 6,079 cases were fully processed and paid, including the applicable arrears, as part of the September 2026 salaries, with the arrears effective from January 1, 2026.
The Department stressed that it has processed every valid case received from GES, explaining that any outstanding payments relate to cases for which GES has yet to submit the required documentation for validation and payroll processing.
Documentation Requirements
CAGD explained that it can only process promotion-related salary adjustments after receiving the necessary documentation from the employer, including a duly completed promotion or change-of-grade input form and the relevant promotion or upgrading letter.
The Department said these documentation requirements are intended to safeguard the payroll system against fictitious promotions, unauthorised salary adjustments, and irregular payments.
Background to the Strike
The strike by the three teacher unions follows months of mounting frustration over what union leaders describe as persistent delays in the payment of promotion arrears and the government’s failure to conclude negotiations on their conditions of service.
Teachers who have been promoted in recent years have complained of waiting extended periods without receiving the corresponding salary adjustments, despite having received their promotion letters from GES. The situation has created significant financial hardship for affected teachers, many of whom have taken on additional responsibilities without commensurate compensation.
The unions had previously engaged with the Ministry of Education and GES over these concerns, but talks failed to yield concrete timelines for payment, prompting the decision to embark on industrial action.
Government Response
CAGD has urged the Ministry of Education, GES, teacher unions, and other stakeholders to work together to address outstanding cases. It assured teachers that legitimate payments would be processed once the required documentation is submitted and validated.
The Department’s statement appears designed to shift responsibility for the outstanding payments to GES, which is responsible for submitting the necessary documentation to trigger payroll processing.
What Happens Next
With the strike now in effect, the pressure is on the Ministry of Education and GES to expedite the submission of outstanding documentation for the remaining promotion cases. Union leaders have indicated that the strike will continue until they receive satisfactory assurances on payment timelines.
The standoff threatens to disrupt teaching and learning across the country, particularly as the academic calendar progresses. Parents and students are watching closely as the government and unions seek to resolve the impasse.
For the 6,079 teachers who have already received their payments, the CAGD’s announcement provides long-awaited relief. However, thousands more remain in limbo, waiting for their own cases to be processed.
