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President John Dramani Mahama has assured teachers across the country that his administration will review the Single Spine Pay Policy and address long-standing concerns surrounding the three-tier pension scheme, amid growing calls for improved salaries, better funding, and safer working environments in the education sector.
The President gave the assurance at the 54th National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
Speaking at the conference, GNAT President, Reverend Isaac Owusu, underscored the urgent need for reforms to safeguard the welfare of teachers, whom he described as the backbone of Ghana’s education system.
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“To celebrate these achievements, Your Excellency, we must not shy away from confronting the present challenges that continue to hinder our progress. The dedication of our teachers is unparalleled, yet they remain underappreciated and overburdened,” Rev. Owusu said.
He lamented that many teachers continue to struggle with inadequate salaries that do not reflect their commitment and sacrifices.
“We face an ongoing crisis regarding the condition of service, where many teachers struggle with inadequate salaries that do not reflect their hard work and dedication. It is incumbent upon us to address these issues head-on,” he added.
Rev. Owusu outlined four critical areas requiring immediate attention:
- Review of the Single Spine Pay Policy
- Adequate funding for basic education
- Pension reforms under the three-tier scheme
- Teacher safety and protection against assaults
On the issue of safety, the GNAT president declared zero tolerance for attacks on teachers, warning of drastic measures if such incidents persist.
“We are declaring that this year, 2026, we are declaring a zero tolerance for teacher assault and brutality. Should any individual or group attack any teacher in Ghana without cause, we shall invoke the spirit and solidarity of ‘touch one, touch all.’ If we have to close down schools, we will close down schools,” he warned.
Responding to the concerns, President Mahama acknowledged widespread dissatisfaction with the Single Spine Pay Policy, describing it as flawed and pledging a comprehensive review.
“Everybody is unhappy with the spine, and so of course TUC raised it with us and asked if we could look at the whole salary structure again. We’re very willing to do that so that we are able to remunerate people better so that they can give off their best in terms of what we are supposed to do,” the President stated.
On pensions, President Mahama said his administration would set up a working team to review the pension system to ensure workers feel secure as they approach retirement.
He also condemned attacks on teachers, describing them as criminal acts, and assured GNAT of his government’s full backing.
“As for assaults on teachers, I am with you one hundred per cent. We will deal with it,” he assured.
The assurances were met with applause from delegates, many of whom expressed optimism that the proposed reforms would translate into tangible improvements in teachers’ working conditions.
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