Teacher unions demand automatic salary placement for newly promoted teachers

Three prominent teacher unions in Ghana have urged the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to ensure that all newly promoted educators are automatically placed in the correct grades and salary brackets that correspond to their new positions. The Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers, and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana made the demand in a joint statement following a communication from the GES dated August 22, as cited by GES/HR/QP/26/155.

The unions appreciated the assurance from the GES, which they deemed consistent with the practice that has been in effect since 2020. They emphasized that teachers advancing to higher professional ranks should automatically receive the corresponding salary placement so that their pay accurately reflects their new roles. GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG praised the GES for reaffirming the automatic salary placement policy and stressed that the issue is crucial to newly promoted teachers, as promotion should be mirrored in their professional standing and salary status.

The unions maintain that the current practice should be adhered to consistently for all teachers affected by recent promotions. While welcoming the GES commitment, the unions issued a stern warning against any attempts to alter the existing practice without considering teachers' concerns and those of their representative organizations.

They warned that any move to modify the practice and impose a different arrangement on teachers, especially without consulting relevant stakeholders, would be met with strong resistance. The unions have called upon the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to ensure that the promised placement is finalized by the end of August 31.