The Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) has given the government a two-week ultimatum to implement the 20% deprived-area allowance for teachers or face industrial action.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of PRETAG’s National Executive Council meeting in Koforidua on August 10, 2026, National President King Ali Awudu said the new deadline would expire at the end of August.

He explained that the Association initially set the end of July as its deadline but decided to suspend the planned action after the GES and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission intervened.

“We first gave the deadline of the end of July. The Ghana Education Service and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission intervened, and we decided to suspend the July ultimatum,” he said.

Awudu said the Association had extended the deadline by another two weeks to give the government sufficient time to address the outstanding issues.

GNAT demands immediate implementation of deprived area allowances to teachers

The 20% deprived-area allowance is meant to serve as an incentive for teachers working in underserved communities and help improve teacher retention and staffing in deprived schools.

Beyond the allowance, PRETAG is also demanding the implementation of a promotion structure for qualified teachers from Deputy Director to Director II and subsequently to Director I.

Awudu appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to ensure the promotion structure is implemented, saying it was among commitments made by the government during the 2024 election campaign.

He warned that failure by the government to resolve the issues within the latest deadline could lead to a series of industrial actions by PRETAG members.

The Association’s position comes amid continuing concerns about teacher motivation, retention and the difficulty of attracting qualified teachers to underserved communities.

MRA/AM

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