The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, says the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department is validating data on up to 51,000 teachers as the government works to pay outstanding promotion arrears.

He said the validation exercise will inform a supplementary payment schedule for one category of teachers, while others will have their payments reflected in their October salaries.

Speaking to the media on Friday, October 2, after the government met the striking teacher unions, Mr Iddrisu said payment of promotion arrears was one of three core issues raised by the unions.

He said the government had made a commitment to place all promoted teachers on their new grades by the end of October.

“The government team makes a commitment to the teacher union and to all teachers that we will honour our commitment of the new grades for all promoted teachers on or before 30th October.”

Mr Iddrisu said the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department would continue the validation process from Monday, October 5.

“From Monday, the Controller Accountant General will validate as he is already validating data of up to 51,000 persons. And a supplementary payment schedule will be provided for that category. And the other category will have it as part of their salaries in October..”

He said the commitment formed part of the government’s response to the concerns raised by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), whose nationwide strike has disrupted teaching and learning in public schools.

The Minister said the government was working to address the outstanding issues and restore normal academic activities.