In a powerful joint press conference today, John Arthur, General Secretary, and George Kuncham, National 1st Vice President of the Global Association of Transformational Educators (GATE), officially introduced the newly registered teachers’ union to stakeholders and the Ghanaian public while sounding the alarm on a growing crisis in the education sector.
GATE Officially Launches, Promising a New Era for Teachers;
GATE, registered under the Labour Act,
2003 (Act 651), has formally declared its presence as a transformative force in teacher unionism in Ghana. The association, built on principles of integrity, professionalism, and advocacy, aims to empower educators, improve working conditions, and champion quality education across Africa.
“Our mission is to rewrite the history of teacher unionism in Ghana,” declared John Arthur, emphasizing GATE’s commitment to professional development, fair treatment, and stronger collaboration between educators and policymakers.
Unpaid Salaries, Delayed Staff IDs: A National Scandal;
The press conference took a dramatic turn as GATE leadership exposed a national emergency: approximately 1,500 newly recruited teachers from Colleges of Education have not received salaries for eight (8) months, with many still awaiting Staff Identification Numbers (Staff IDs)—a critical requirement for payroll integration.
“These teachers are suffering,” George Kuncham stated firmly. “They cannot afford transportation, accommodation, or even basic meals. How can we expect them to inspire the next generation when they themselves are struggling to survive?
Government Urged to Act Immediately
GATE issued a strong demand to key authorities, including:
– Ministry of Education
– Ministry of Labor, Jobs and Employment
– Ghana Education Service (GES)
– Parliament’s Select Committee on Education and Employment
“This is not just about unpaid salaries—it’s a violation of workers’ rights**,” Arthur asserted. “We demand immediate action, transparency, and a public timeline for resolution.”
Official Launch Set for August 2025
GATE announced plans for a grand official launch in August 2025, marking the beginning of its nationwide advocacy campaign. The union called on all teachers, educators, and stakeholders to join its movement for transformational change in Ghana’s education sector.
Final Warning: “Respect Teachers or Risk Collapse of Education”
The conference ended with a stern warning: “If the government fails to act, it risks losing the trust of educators and jeopardizing the future of Ghana’s children.”
GATE vowed to escalate pressure until all teachers receive their due salaries and dignity is restored to the profession.
Unpaid for Eight Months: Newly Recruited Teacher Shares Harrowing Experience
The ongoing issue of unpaid salaries for newly recruited teachers took a personal turn today as Mensa Mary, a teacher posted after graduating from the College of Education in 2022, shared her distressing eight-month ordeal in an exclusive interview alongside the press conference. Ms. Mary, visibly emotional, detailed the financial and psychological toll the delayed payments have had on her and her colleagues.
“we were posted to our schools on September 10th of last year,” Ms. Mary began, her voice tinged with frustration. “Since then, we have not received a single penny from the government for our work.”
Ms. Mary recounted the fruitless efforts she and her fellow affected teachers have made to seek redress. “We started our appeals at the district level, but they couldn’t provide any satisfactory explanation. We then escalated it to the regional level, with the same outcome. This forced us to take our fight to the national level.”
She personally visited the National Head Office to meet with the national IPP coordinator. “He informed me that our documents were initially submitted to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, but they claimed to be facing issues and asked us to hold on.” Hope flickered briefly when, on the second of this month, the coordinator informed her that their documents had finally been released to the Controller.
However, those hopes were quickly dashed. “Through personal contacts within the Controller’s office, we were told that our documents were not there. Our names were listed as ‘new entrance, no documents’,” Ms. Mary revealed, her voice laced with disbelief. “Now, we are being told that our clearance is ‘dead’.”
This revelation has added a layer of confusion and anger to their plight. “My question is, how can some teachers, who went through the same clearance process released by the government for all of us, be receiving their salaries while our clearance is deemed ‘dead’?” she questioned, demanding accountability. “When did it die? And what were they waiting for that the clearance expired before they paid us?”
Ms. Mary did not shy away from expressing the profound impact this situation has had on their lives. “We are going through a lot emotionally,” she confessed. “We are pleading with the government, the Ghana Education Service, the Director-General, anyone who can help us. Please, help release our staff IDs and our salaries.”
Speaking from her own experience, Ms. Mary painted a stark picture of their daily struggles. “Me, for instance, my salary has not come for eight months now. Next month will be nine months. Please, we have suffered enough. It is affecting us psychologically.”
The emotional burden is particularly challenging given their profession. “We are teachers. We are dealing with students. How can you be depressed and be in a classroom teaching? How can you be hungry and teaching in the classroom?”
she pleaded, her voice cracking with desperation. “Please, the government should come to our aid.”
Ms. Mary’s heartfelt account underscores the urgent need for the relevant authorities to address the grievances of these newly recruited teachers and provide them with the financial relief they rightfully deserve after months of dedicated service. Her testimony adds a human face to the statistics highlighted by GATE and serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of these administrative delays.
By Kingsley Asiedu
God bless you GATE.
Hmm, so appalling. Great more GATE
These cruelties have to stop.. how wicked and insensitive can our leaders be?? Why must people struggle working so hard for eight good months without being paid?? This is too much..enough of the hardships..where is the freedom and justice we talk about when the system is so crooked. Put yourself in this position how would you feel??
Great move GATE. How can clearance from government being term as dead?
what is really going on in Ghana and especially the GES?