GES summons teacher unions for emergency talks over controversial staff data collection exercise

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has invited the leadership of three major teacher unions to an emergency meeting in a bid to resolve mounting tensions over a nationwide staff records verification exercise that has sparked opposition across the education sector.

The high-level meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 15, 2026, at the Director-General’s Conference Room at the GES Headquarters in Accra and is expected to bring together officials of the Ghana Education Service and representatives of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).

The engagement comes amid a growing standoff between the Service and organised labour following a directive requiring teachers and non-teaching staff to submit personal employment records for a nationwide job evaluation exercise.

In a formal invitation signed by the Deputy Director-General of GES, Prof. Smile Dzisi, the Service indicated that the meeting seeks to address concerns raised by the unions and chart a path toward resolving the disagreement.

“The meeting is aimed at resolving the impasse regarding the request for the submission of staff personal files for the job evaluation exercise,” the letter stated.

The emergency talks follow strong resistance from GNAT, NAGRAT, and PRETAG, which jointly opposed the directive in a statement issued on June 9, 2026.

The unions questioned the rationale behind the request for teachers and other education staff to resubmit personal information and employment documents, including appointment letters, promotion letters, upgrading certificates, and other supporting records through district and municipal education offices.

According to the unions, the information being requested already exists within the records and databases of the Ghana Education Service, making the exercise unnecessary and burdensome for employees.

The teacher groups argued that many educators have previously submitted the same documents during recruitment, promotions, salary migrations, and other administrative processes, raising concerns about duplication and inefficiency.

As a result, the unions directed their members nationwide not to comply with the directive and called on GES to immediately suspend the exercise until adequate consultations are held with stakeholders.

The verification exercise forms part of broader efforts by the Ghana Education Service, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), and the Public Services Commission (PSC) to validate staff records and assess various job roles within the education sector.

The exercise is expected to support the implementation of a revised Scheme of Service aimed at improving career progression, role classification, and compensation structures within the Ghana Education Service.

Officials believe the review will help ensure that employees are properly placed within the public service framework and that remuneration reflects the responsibilities and qualifications associated with different positions.

However, the unions maintain that any process involving personal staff information must be transparent, justified, and undertaken in consultation with labour representatives to avoid mistrust and confusion among employees.

The controversy has also reignited discussions about record management within the education sector, with some stakeholders questioning why information already held by GES must be collected again.

Labour leaders have expressed concerns over the potential administrative burden on teachers, especially those stationed in remote communities who may face challenges retrieving old employment records and travelling to district offices to submit documents.

Others have called for greater digitisation of personnel records to eliminate repetitive documentation exercises and improve efficiency within the education system.

Education analysts say the dispute highlights broader issues relating to data management, stakeholder engagement, and communication between public institutions and organised labour.

The emergency meeting is widely seen as an attempt by the Ghana Education Service to de-escalate tensions and prevent a prolonged confrontation with teacher unions, whose members form the backbone of the country's pre-tertiary education system.

Observers say the outcome of the discussions could determine whether both parties reach a compromise on the verification exercise or whether the disagreement escalates into further industrial action and resistance from education workers.

With thousands of teachers and non-teaching staff awaiting clarity on the matter, attention is now focused on Monday’s meeting, which is expected to provide direction on the future of the job evaluation exercise and the implementation of the proposed Scheme of Service.

The discussions are also likely to influence broader conversations about labour relations, administrative reforms, and workforce management within Ghana’s public education sector.