By Aaron Hammond 
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has directed the Ghana Education Service to provide the necessary data to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to support the placement of promoted teachers on their correct salary scales. The development follows concerns over delays in implementing promotions for teachers who successfully passed their promotion examinations. At an emergency meeting on 31 August 2026, government and the major pre tertiary teacher unions agreed that promoted teachers should be placed on their appropriate salary scales, with January 2026 set as the effective date.
What the GES Data Means for Promoted Teachers
The data from the GES is important because the Controller and Accountant General’s Department needs the relevant records to process salary adjustments and payments. Reports from the meeting indicated that nearly 80,000 teachers were expected to benefit from the placement arrangement. The agreement also stated that teachers would not need to travel to District Education Offices with payslips, fill additional forms or write application letters before their placement. In simple terms, the process is expected to happen administratively rather than putting the burden on individual teachers.
The government and teacher unions also agreed that placement should be completed by September 2026. Where some affected teachers are not captured by the end of September, a supplementary payroll was to be prepared to ensure they are eventually placed on the correct salary scale. This is particularly important because the January 2026 effective date could affect salary differences owed to teachers whose promotions have already been approved. The official communication reported after the meeting said the placement would be automatic.
Teachers Still Awaiting Salary Placement
The issue has remained a major concern for teacher unions, with delays in promotion placement contributing to tensions between the unions and government. By 22 September, a report indicated that some promoted teachers had reportedly been placed on their new salary scales, although there was still no confirmed nationwide figure showing how many had been captured. That means teachers should be careful with unverified social media claims and instead check their official payroll information and wait for updates from the relevant authorities.
The latest development puts attention on the GES and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department as the September deadline approaches. The Ministry of Education was also expected to engage teacher unions, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department on 28 September over outstanding salary arrears and other concerns linked to the teachers’ dispute. For promoted teachers, the key issue now is whether the agreed process will fully reflect on their salaries and any applicable arrears.