Education minister gives ultimatum over unpaid teacher promotion arrears

Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has issued a firm pledge to striking teachers nationwide, assuring them that all outstanding promotion arrears will be settled by October 30.

Speaking at a two-day NTC symposium at the GNAT Hall in Accra, the Minister acknowledged the government's obligation as an employer to fulfill its financial commitments to educators.

He addressed the mounting frustration among teachers, explicitly putting his personal credibility on the line regarding the payment timeline.

"If by October 30, your promotion arrears are not paid, then I will have no honour," Iddrisu declared during his address to delegates.

The Minister's high-stakes pledge comes amid widespread industrial action declared by major pre-tertiary teacher unions across the country.

The Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), GNAT, and NAGRAT launched a nationwide strike on September 25 to demand immediate payment.

Delayed promotion payments and unresolved conditions of service have fueled growing discontent within the pre-tertiary education sector for months.

Union leaders maintain that prolonged payment delays have severely impacted teacher welfare and morale across all sixteen regions.

The Education Ministry hopes this public commitment will convince union executives to call off the strike and return members to the classroom.

Teachers across the country now await the October 30 deadline to see if the government delivers on its promised financial clearance.