Teachers Threaten Protest Over Unpaid Arrears
Over 6,000 teachers across Ghana are threatening legal action and street protests over unpaid salary arrears, raising fears of a turbulent start to the 2026 academic year.
The Coalition of Unpaid Teachers has issued a final ultimatum to government, warning that if their demands are not met, they will stage a massive demonstration and pursue legal redress. The group says many of its members have been at their posts for between 12 and 15 months but have only received payment for two months of service.
Despite several protests throughout 2025, the teachers insist that administrative delays and the failure of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to issue staff identification cards have left them in “abject poverty.” Without these IDs, teachers cannot be fully integrated into the mechanised payroll system, leaving them in professional and financial limbo.
Lead Convenor of the Coalition, Simon Kofi Nartey, speaking in an interview with Citi FM on Sunday, January 4, highlighted the immense psychological and financial toll the situation is taking. “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 warned that the window for a peaceful resolution is closing fast. He demanded that all outstanding staff IDs be processed 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 added.
Beyond demonstrations, the Coalition is consulting legal experts to file a suit against the state. They argue the current system is arbitrary, pointing out that teachers recruited at the same time and posted to the same regions have experienced vastly different outcomes. “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,” Mr. Nartey stressed.
