The Ghana Education Service (GES) says it is working around the clock to resolve outstanding issues affecting teacher payments and prevent disruption to the academic calendar.

Head of Public Relations at GES, Daniel Fenyi, said the priority now is to ensure teachers receive their money rather than engage in blame games.

“I would very much hesitate to start blame games,” he said, stressing that teachers need their money.

Mr Fenyi said the Education Minister met the teacher unions and gave them assurances on efforts to resolve the matter.

He said GES had been directed to work closely with the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to provide the required documentation.

“The minister has also mentioned that in case of the insistence on some input forms and documentation, GES should be able to provide,” he said.

He explained that the 4pm deadline was linked to the provision of input forms and other documentation, including promotion letters.

“The 4 p.m. deadline was set because the controller made a case that the input forms are crucial in the line of their work,” he said.

Mr Fenyi clarified that the number of affected teaching staff is about 59,000 to 60,000, although the broader figure of more than 80,000 includes both teaching and non-teaching staff.

He said GES was working with the documentation requested by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, although the Service believes automatic placement could have been used given the circumstances.

“Of course, we have met a couple of deadlines. We have worked under pressure,” Mr Fenyi said.

He assured teachers that GES would continue working to address the outstanding issues.

“Once the welfare of our teachers is involved, trust us that we will work around the clock to make sure that their desires are really met, so that they can return to the classroom,” he said.

Mr Fenyi also clarified that the 4pm deadline referred to the following Monday, giving GES a week to provide the required documentation.

He said staff at the GES headquarters were already working to meet the deadline.

“We generally are approaching this with a very positive faith,” he said.

Mr Fenyi said protecting the academic calendar remains a key concern for the Service.

“Don’t forget, I also mentioned that we have stabilised the calendar,” he said.

“We wouldn’t want to disrupt that calendar.”