Accra, Friday, September 19, 2025 — The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has declared an indefinite nationwide strike, citing years of neglect and unfair treatment of non-teaching staff within Ghana’s education sector.
In a press statement issued at the TUC national headquarters in Accra, General Secretary of TEWU, Mr. King James Azortibah, announced that the strike takes immediate effect, directing all non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Public and Technical Universities, the Ghana Library Authority, and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board to withdraw their services until further notice.
Mr. Azortibah lamented that despite the indispensable role played by non-teaching staff in ensuring the smooth running of the educational system, their concerns have consistently been ignored. He accused government and relevant agencies of discriminatory labour practices, stressing that numerous promises made to resolve their grievances have not been fulfilled.
“Our patience must not be mistaken for weakness. We have exercised restraint, but the persistent neglect of our members is unacceptable. This strike is not against the Ghanaian student or parent, but against an unfair system that undermines the dignity and rights of TEWU members,” he declared.
The union outlined several unresolved issues, including:
- Delays in signing the Conditions of Service for non-teaching staff of GES, universities, the Ghana Library Authority, and the Museums and Monuments Board.
- Non-payment of Continuous Professional Development and Skills Allowance (CPDA) for non-teaching staff, though teaching staff have been assured of theirs.
- Unpaid weekend and overtime allowances for security and catering staff in the education sector.
- Unresolved promotion-related grievances affecting non-teaching staff in GES.
TEWU is demanding the immediate conclusion and signing of Conditions of Service by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, inclusion of non-teaching staff in the CPDA payment effective September 2025, and resolution of all outstanding promotion issues.
The union has called on stakeholders, particularly government and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, to urgently address their demands.
“All TEWU members are to stay at home in solidarity until further notice,” Mr. Azortibah emphasized.
The declaration of the strike is expected to disrupt administrative, security, and support services in schools and institutions nationwide, raising concerns about the smooth operation of Ghana’s education system if the impasse lingers.
Story by Eugene Kwasi Nyarko
