Education Minister, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu has assured the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) that the government will address all outstanding concerns raised by the union, and has urged public universities to reopen immediately for academic activities.
Hon. Iddrisu said 23,367 teachers awaiting promotion-related salary adjustments and arrears will be paid by the end of October, as part of efforts to restore stability across the country’s educational institutions.
The Minister’s remarks followed GAUA’s decision to suspend its strike after the government addressed 80 percent of the concerns that prompted the industrial action. He expressed gratitude to the union’s leadership for its role in reaching that outcome.
For the government, he said, the priority is the restoration of normal activity on university campuses nationwide, whatever term is used to describe the end of the strike.
“By any standard, if you say 80 percent of your grievances have been addressed, that is more than satisfactory,”
Education Minister, Hon. Haruna Iddris
He directed that the universities reopen with immediate effect, subject to the directives of their respective management, so that academic work can resume.
Restoring campus life; Whatever the label, the government’s concern is that lecture halls, offices and administrative units on every public university campus function again.
Beyond Suspension to a Call-Off
While welcoming the suspension, the Minister urged the union to move a step further and formally call off the strike. He said he does not regard the two terms as meaning the same thing.
A suspension, he noted, leaves the possibility of renewed industrial action open, whereas a call-off would give the government and the wider sector firmer assurance of stability for the remainder of the academic year.
The Minister also referred to the position of teacher unions, which had suspended their own strikes, and said they too should consider moving from suspension to a full withdrawal of the action.
Promotion Arrears for Teachers
On teacher remuneration, Hon. Iddrisu gave figures on progress made so far. Of the 80,000 teachers who were promoted, arrears have already been paid to 56,000.
The remaining 23,367 teachers awaiting promotion-related salary adjustments and arrears will be paid by the end of October, he said. They will receive their October salaries on the new salary grid, together with their promotion arrears.
He described the payment as evidence that the government is keeping faith with its commitments to public sector workers. Commitments on the record: Payment of the remaining balance is expected before October closes, placing a clear timeline on one of the sector’s most pressing grievances.
The Minister stressed that the relationship between government as employer and workers as employees should rest on mutual respect. He said that principle should guide engagement on any unresolved matter, and argued that dialogue produces better results than prolonged disruption.
Hon. Iddrisu’s remarks came as GAUA, which declared its suspension of the strike on Friday, said its members would return to their offices on Monday.
Working With Finance and Fair Wages
On the issues that remain outstanding, the Minister pledged to work with the Minister for Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to find solutions.
The two bodies are central to resolving matters of allowances and conditions of service, since they determine the fiscal space available and the structure of public sector pay.
By committing to engage them, Hon. Iddrisu signalled that the remaining concerns will be handled through the established channels of government.
He did not give a timeline for resolving those issues, nor did he specify which concerns make up the remaining 20 percent.
Outlook for the Academic Year
Hon. Iddrisu said he expects normalcy to return to schools across the country, from the tertiary to the secondary level, so that the academic year can proceed and end successfully.
His assurances place responsibility on both sides. The government must deliver on the payment schedule and the follow-up engagements, while the union must decide whether to convert its suspension into a formal call-off.
Stakeholders in the education sector will be watching closely to see whether the end-of-October payments are made as promised, and whether talks with the Finance Ministry and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission produce a lasting settlement.
READ MORE: GAUA Votes To Suspend Strike After Progress On Grievances
