The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NC-PTAs) – Ghana has expressed solidarity with striking pre-tertiary teacher unions and urged parents to keep their children at home until teachers return to the classrooms.
In a solidarity statement issued on Wednesday, September 30, the council described the demands of the striking teachers as legitimate and justified.
The nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions began on September 25, 2026, over unresolved concerns including promotion-related arrears, salary placement, collective agreement negotiations and the implementation of the Deprived Area Allowance.
NC-PTAs raises concerns over teachers’ demands
According to the NC-PTAs, the ongoing industrial action is linked to delayed promotions, unpaid arrears, the implementation of revised collective agreements and the 20% deprived area allowance.
The council said years of unfulfilled promises and abandoned memoranda of understanding had contributed to what it described as a “deep credibility deficit” between teachers and the government.
“Despite assurances from government, there is a deep credibility deficit. Years of unfulfilled promises and abandoned MOUs have left teachers with no option but to strike for their bread and butter issues,” the statement said.
The NC-PTAs described teachers as a national asset whose welfare should be protected, arguing that investment in teacher welfare should be viewed as an investment in Ghana’s future.
Parents’ financial sacrifices
The council also highlighted the financial burden the situation has placed on parents.
It said parents had already made significant financial sacrifices to prepare their children for the new academic term, including spending money on uniforms, sandals, books, provisions and transportation.
The strike, according to the council, has left many of these investments unused.
It further expressed concern about candidates preparing for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), particularly those who had participated in extra classes before the strike.
“Every day without a teacher is a loss to the poor parent who spent his last cedi to prepare his child for school,” the statement said.
The council added that the situation should not be viewed solely as a dispute between teachers and government.
“This is not just a teacher crisis; it is a parental crisis, a family crisis,” it said.
The impact of the strike has already been observed in several parts of the country, with reports of largely empty classrooms and disrupted teaching and learning activities.
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Warning over empty schools
The NC-PTAs also raised concerns about children reporting to schools without teachers to supervise them.
“Classrooms are empty, compounds unsupervised. ‘When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers’ – the grass is our child,” the council stated.
For this reason, it urged parents to keep their children at home until teachers return to the classroom.
“An empty school without a teacher is a risk, not a school,” the statement said.
The call comes amid reports from different parts of Ghana showing that some pupils have continued reporting to school despite the strike, only to find teachers absent.
NC-PTAs calls for Mahama’s intervention
The council has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to personally intervene in the dispute and direct the relevant government institutions to work towards an immediate resolution.
It specifically called on the Ministers of Finance, Education and Labour, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to collaborate to resolve the outstanding issues.
The NC-PTAs also appealed to politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other influential personalities to support efforts to bring the dispute to an end.
“Let us urge government to go the extra mile and do the needful for them. Let us bury our political differences,” the council said.
The appeal comes as the government continues engagements with the teacher unions and other institutions over the outstanding issues. The GES has also appealed to the unions to suspend the strike while discussions continue.
The statement, signed by Gapson Kofi Raphael, General Secretary of the NC-PTAs – Ghana, concluded with a strong message on the importance of teachers to the country’s future:
“The hand that holds chalk, holds our future.”
The council added: “Treat the teacher well, and the teacher will treat our child’s future well.”
It concluded with the slogan: “No Teacher, No School. No School, No Future.”
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