Minister of Education Haruna Iddrisu has assured newly posted teachers that the government is taking urgent steps to resolve the prolonged salary arrears that have left them working for months without pay.

He described the situation as “an unacceptable labour practice” and pledged to ensure the matter receives immediate attention.

Speaking at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, September 30, after receiving a petition from the aggrieved teachers, Mr. Iddrisu said: “I’m here to receive your humble petition and to assure you that I will walk the talk on the issue of the unfair labour treatment that has been meted out to you.

"It is an unacceptable labour practice anywhere that you will work for 13 months without pay… Be assured that I’m on top of the matter.”

He disclosed that he had already met with the Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, on September 23 to deliberate on the teachers’ concerns and that a joint cabinet memorandum, to be signed by himself and the Finance Minister, will soon be presented for consideration.

• Read also: Newly posted teachers picket Jubilee House over 13 months of unpaid salaries

The Education Minister added that the government is planning to recruit 53,000 additional teachers into the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector

The Minister’s remarks come on the back of a protest by teachers from the 2022 batch of the Colleges of Education and university graduates, who marched from Obra Spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance before converging at the Jubilee House.

They are demanding payment of 13 and 9-month salary arrears, respectively.

Lead convener Simon Kofi Nartey explained that all efforts to resolve the issue had been ignored, forcing them to resort to the demonstration.

He stressed that their demands go beyond survival, warning that the quality of education suffers when newly recruited teachers cannot afford essentials like transportation and accommodation.