The Ministry of Education says all outstanding concerns raised by teachers will be addressed at an expanded meeting with key stakeholders as government seeks to end the nationwide strike that has disrupted teaching and learning across the country.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu is meeting the leadership of the country’s three major pre-tertiary teacher unions at the Ministry of Education as part of efforts to resolve the impasse.

The meeting brings together the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).

Officials from the Ministry of Labour, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) are also participating in the expanded engagement.

In an interview with JoyNews' Collins Frimpong, the Education Ministry’s Press Secretary, Hashmin Mohammed said the discussions will focus on the welfare of teachers and other outstanding issues that have contributed to the strike.

He said the engagement is intended to find practical solutions and pave the way for teachers to return to the classroom.

“This morning’s engagement is an expanded engagement, where some of the issues have to do with the welfare of the teachers. So the Ministry of Labour, Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, and then the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission are all going to be part of the meeting.”

Mr Mohammed said concerns surrounding the processing of teachers’ promotions would also form part of the discussions.

He said the Ministry would engage the relevant institutions to establish why only about 6,000 promoted teachers had so far been processed.

“All these issues will come out in the meeting, and then we seek to find solutions.”

The three unions began the indefinite industrial action on Friday, September 25, after a September 24 deadline for government to address their concerns passed without a resolution.

Their grievances include unpaid promotion-related arrears, delays in negotiating a new Collective Agreement and the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.

The unions have entered the talks demanding concrete action on their concerns rather than further assurances, as the strike continues to disrupt teaching and learning across the country.