GES Responds to Salary Delay Protests of Some Teachers

In a letter signed by Daniel Fenyi, Public Relations Officer, Ghana Education Service, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially responded to a petition presented by a group of newly posted teachers on Monday, 23 June 2025. The teachers, who assumed duty in September 2024, have voiced concerns over delayed Staff IDs and non-payment of salaries.

1. Recruitment Background

GES confirms that in 2024 it recruited 12,807 graduates from Colleges of Education. By December 2024, 9,950 had received Staff IDs and salaries. However, 2,113 received IDs but were unpaid due to expired financial clearances, and 582 did not receive IDs due to documentation issues such as mismatched SSNIT, Ghana Card details, or self-reposting. These delays triggered the ongoing protests.

2. Steps Taken by GES

• Nationwide Staff Validation (7–14 March 2025): Upon assuming office, current GES management initiated a comprehensive validation to identify genuine recruits and address recruitment discrepancies flagged in audit reports.

• Technical Committee Established: A committee — including representatives of aggrieved teachers — has been formed to facilitate consistent communication, coordination, and feedback.

• Financial Clearance Extension: GES, via the Education Minister, has formally requested an extension of expired financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance. The issue was addressed in the 2025 national budget to enable salary payments.

• Systemic Recruitment Reforms: Ongoing efforts are aimed at strengthening recruitment processes to prevent future delays in documentation and onboarding.

3. Inconsistent Representation

GES highlighted a persistent challenge: with every protest, new leadership and groups emerge, creating confusion and hampering engagement. The Service appealed to teachers to establish coordinated and consistent representation, which would streamline discussions and accelerate problem resolution.

4. Call for Calm and Continued Engagement

While acknowledging the frustrations, GES noted significant progress and assured that all efforts are underway to settle arrears and issue IDs to genuinely recruited teachers. The Service reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and collaborative resolution in the best interest of teachers and the education sector.

5. Background & Recent Developments

On 23 June, about 700 teachers picketed GES headquarters in Accra, demanding staff IDs and demanding salaries owed for up to ten months . Protesters waited over two hours without response. Tensions escalated, police gave a three‑minute ultimatum, and the group was eventually dispersed . The teachers have pledged to submit their petition to the Ministry of Finance and march to Parliament .

GES is urging affected teachers to remain calm, work through recognized leaders, and collaborate with the technical committee. With budget allocations secured and financial clearance extended, the Service is optimistic about prompt resolution for all legitimate claims.