The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) says it will not end its ongoing strike until the government signs binding agreements with clear timelines on outstanding issues. The union insists on written commitments covering promotion-related payments, the Collective Agreement, and the Deprived Area Allowance before teachers return to the classroom.
NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba spoke on Joy FM’s Top Story, explaining that the latest meeting with government officials produced proposed timelines but no formal agreement. “So we will not call off the strike until we see concrete steps to ensure that these issues are resolved,” he said.
The government has proposed October 6 as the start date for negotiations on the Collective Agreement. It also indicated that payments of the Deprived Area Allowance are expected to begin in January 2027. The processing of promotion-related payments was identified as an immediate action point.
Mr Anaba said the October 6 date alone is not enough. “With the collective agreement, it’s not going to be a one-day affair. It will take some time. So we want to know when will be the start date and then the end date. We need to put it on paper,” he said.
On promotion-related payments, NAGRAT wants to see money transferred directly to qualified teachers. “With the promotion, we want to see the money hitting the accounts of our members who are qualified, and they have to be paid,” Mr Anaba added.
The union also welcomed the government's indication on the Deprived Area Allowance but stressed the need for a binding document. “With the deprived area allowance, as you have indicated, government is showing commitment that it will start payment in January 2027. We want to have a document that we will all commit to, we will sign, and then it will be binding on the two of us,” he said.
Mr Anaba clarified that the issues raised by NAGRAT were not formally tabled during the meeting with the Education Ministry. Government had only presented the proposed timelines, and further engagement is needed. “No, today was the day they made this proposal. We are yet to engage further on the issues that they have raised. So we never tabled anything,” he said.
The strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions began over unresolved concerns, including promotion-related payments, the Collective Agreement, and the Deprived Area Allowance. The unions remain firm that their demands must be documented with signed timelines before ending the strike.
The government's proposal for a January 2027 start for the Deprived Area Allowance payment has raised questions about the waiting period for teachers. Meanwhile, the October 6 date for beginning Collective Agreement negotiations leaves uncertainty about how long the talks might last.
NAGRAT’s insistence on signed agreements reflects frustration with previous delays. Teachers affected by promotion-related payments have yet to receive their dues, and the union wants to see those payments processed immediately. The strike continues as the two sides prepare for further talks, but no new timeline for ending the strike has emerged.
According to Joy Online.
