The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is demanding clarity from government on the status and timeline for processing the promotions of about 29,000 teachers still awaiting clearance.

Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba said government had committed to completing the processing of 51,000 promoted teachers, leaving about 29,000 from the outstanding backlog.

He said the unions want assurance that the documents of the remaining teachers have reached Accra and are currently being processed.

“The outstanding issue is government has indicated that they were to complete 51,000 promoted teachers by yesterday. And then it will be left with 29,000. Now, our concern is the 29,000, when will they be processed?” he asked.

Mr Anaba said knowing the status of the documents would allow the unions to assure affected teachers that government’s commitment to complete the process would be fulfilled.

He acknowledged that government had made progress by processing more than 51,000 promotions from a backlog of over 80,000.

However, he noted that the teachers whose promotions have already been processed are yet to receive their promotion-related payments. “Even the 51,000 that have been processed, none has received a dime.”

He said the Education Minister had indicated that supplementary vouchers would be provided and payments made from October 6.

The NAGRAT President stressed that the promotion issue forms part of the broader collective agreement negotiations between the teacher unions and government.

The latest negotiations between the unions and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission ended with both sides making proposals and counter-proposals, with the FWSC expected to return to government for a mandate before talks resume.

The unions and government are expected to reconvene on Wednesday, October 7, as efforts continue to resolve the issues underpinning the nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teachers.