The Council of State is set to engage teacher unions on Friday, October 9, as efforts intensify to resolve the industrial action by pre-tertiary teachers over outstanding employment-related concerns.

The meeting, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the Council’s Secretariat, will bring together representatives of the unions and Council members to discuss issues including delayed promotions, deprived-area allowances and negotiations on a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Ministry of Education.

An invitation signed on behalf of the Chairman of the Council’s Economic and Social Development Committee, HRM Drolor Rosso Adamtey I, said the engagement would allow the unions to present their concerns to the Council.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) have cited these outstanding matters among the reasons for their industrial action.

Meanwhile, Controller and Accountant-General Kwasi Agyei says his department has processed the promotion records of 52,000 teachers and received the required input forms from the Ghana Education Service (GES). He said the update was as of 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 8, paving the way for the necessary verification ahead of salary adjustments and payment of arrears.

The processing follows a September 28 directive by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu asking the GES Director-General to submit the relevant data to facilitate payments. Friday’s meeting is expected to provide a platform for discussions on the remaining concerns as stakeholders seek a resolution to the dispute.