Tensions are rising ahead of the new academic year as the Coalition of Unpaid Teachers has issued a final ultimatum to the government, threatening mass street demonstrations and legal action over prolonged salary arrears.
The group says more than 6,000 teachers nationwide have gone unpaid for nearly a year, a situation they describe as pushing many educators into severe financial hardship.
Despite multiple protests staged throughout 2025, the Coalition insists the issue remains unresolved, largely due to administrative delays within the Ghana Education Service (GES)—particularly the failure to issue Staff Identification Cards, a key requirement for payroll processing.
At the heart of the dispute is what the Coalition describes as a glaring compensation imbalance. According to the group, many teachers have been actively working in classrooms for 12 to 15 months, yet have received salaries covering only two months of service.
Speaking in an interview with Citi FM on Sunday, January 4, Lead Convenor Simon Kofi Nartey said the prolonged delays have taken a heavy toll on members, both financially and psychologically.
“We are calling on our employer and the government at large to listen to us and have our arrears paid so that we can all have our peace of mind to continue with the good work that we are doing for the country,” he said.
Mr Nartey explained that without Staff Identification Cards, affected teachers remain excluded from the mechanised payroll system, leaving them unable to receive their salaries despite being fully deployed and teaching.
He warned that patience among members is running out, demanding that all outstanding staff IDs be issued before the January 2026 payroll is finalised.
“The few that are left to be issued with their staff IDs should have it before this month’s salary comes, before we hit the street once again,” he cautioned.
Beyond renewed demonstrations, the Coalition says it has begun consultations with legal experts to file a lawsuit against the state, arguing that the current system is discriminatory and inconsistent.
Mr Nartey pointed to cases where teachers recruited at the same time and posted to the same regions have experienced vastly different payment outcomes, describing the situation as arbitrary and unjust.
“Some of us started work with colleagues who have received their salaries in full, while others are still going through this ordeal. It is just unfair, and it calls for legal action to be taken against the government,” he stressed.
With the academic year fast approaching, the standoff raises concerns about potential disruptions to teaching and learning if the government fails to act swiftly on the Coalition’s demands.
