Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu visited a data processing centre where government officials are validating the records of striking teachers. The government wants to complete the validation of at least 51,000 teachers by Monday, 5 October 2026, to prepare for payments owed to them.
The strike involves about 80,000 pre-tertiary teachers who have raised concerns with their unions. The government has promised supplementary payments once the data is verified. Iddrisu said the Ministry of Finance will be instructed to arrange the first tranche of outstanding payments, expected by 16 October.
Officials handling the exercise were urged by Iddrisu to combine speed with accuracy. "The validation is critical to ensuring that eligible teachers receive what is due them," he said. He added that the government aims to validate 52,000 of the 80,000 records as the best way to honour its commitment. The Controller and Accountant-General was also called upon to work swiftly.
The Minister reaffirmed the government's plan to place promoted teachers on their new salary grades by 30 October 2026. "It would be inexcusable for the government to fail to pay the promotion salary arrears and place teachers on the new grade by that date," he said.
Iddrisu appealed to the striking teachers to consider ending the industrial action. He acknowledged that the teachers’ concerns over a collective agreement and new conditions of service remain important. "I renew the call that we treat each other in good faith," he said, urging mutual respect between the government and teacher unions as negotiations continue.
The strike has disrupted education across the country since it began, with many schools unable to hold classes. The government’s focus now is on clearing the backlog to restore normalcy. The outcome of the validation process and the scheduled payments will likely influence whether teachers return to the classroom before the end of October.
Iddrisu’s visit to the data centre underlines the government’s push to resolve the pay dispute before the month closes. The deadline for salary adjustments and arrears coincides with the government’s wider efforts to stabilise the education sector amid growing public pressure.
According to 3News.
