The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah, has raised concerns about delayed teacher promotions and long-standing welfare issues, urging the government to act swiftly to resolve them.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Musah revealed that out of over 54,000 teachers due for promotion, more than 50,700 have already been processed, leaving a backlog of just over 3,000.
He expressed optimism that the remaining cases would be addressed soon, following ongoing engagements with the Ghana Education Service and other key stakeholders.
“We reached out to the government, and they were quick to respond to our concerns,” he said, adding that the Association has also been advocating for a 20% allowance for teachers working in deprived areas—a request they have been pursuing for the past 16 years.
He expressed hope that a favourable resolution would be reached by the end of May.
Touching on the challenges within the promotional system, Mr. Musah lamented the bureaucratic delays, stating that “sometimes, a teacher has to pass away before someone else gets promoted to that role,” highlighting the inefficiencies and emotional toll involved.
He also addressed the reactivation of teachers who had been removed or frozen from the system.
Of the 1,579 teachers affected, 1,417 have been successfully reinstated, leaving 169 still awaiting resolution.
Mr. Musah further disclosed that since 2018, there have been no promotions for teachers in the lower ranks—a worrying trend that GNAT continues to push for change.
In 2023 alone, about 310 teachers faced promotional or administrative challenges, out of which only 110 cases have so far been received, and work is ongoing to get them resolved.
According to Mr. Musah, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service has given assurances that action will be taken to address the pending issues.
He appealed to regional directors and educational authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure that teachers are fully supported, motivated, and given the opportunity to perform at their best.
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