A Proposal, Suggestion and Recommendation to Leadership
The recent announcement of a 9% salary increase across board for all public sector workers raises serious concerns, especially for teachers and other lower-ranking staff within the Ghana Education Service (GES).
To begin with, the long-standing practice of applying uniform percentage increments continues to disadvantage lower-income earners and widen the already troubling remuneration gap between senior officers and their subordinates. The disparity is so severe that one is left wondering whether Ghana operates separate labour markets within the same public sector.
For instance, consider two public servants: a senior officer earning GHS 20,000 monthly and a teacher earning GHS 3,000. A 9% increase gives the senior officer an additional GHS 1,800, while the teacher receives only GHS 270. Clearly, such a system rewards those who already earn more and pushes lower-income earners further behind. It is for this reason that a flat-rate salary adjustment is far more equitable. When everyone receives the same monetary value, the wage gap narrows, fairness is promoted, and no worker is penalized simply for being in a lower grade.
Unfortunately, the challenges teachers face are made worse by the quality of representation at the negotiation table. In some cases, those entrusted with negotiating for teachers allegedly accept brown envelopes, compromising the welfare of the very people they claim to represent. As a result, the ordinary teacher continues to suffer the effects of weak negotiations, poor conditions of service, and a salary structure that hardly rewards dedication or sacrifice.
Beyond salary concerns, another critical issue that unions must urgently address is the Car Maintenance Allowance. At its core, this allowance is unfair because it benefits only teachers who own cars, excluding the majority who rely on public transport. Yet, transportation is a universal need for all teachers. Therefore, instead of limiting support to car owners, a General Transportation Allowance should be introduced for all teachers within specified ranks, regardless of car ownership. This approach will promote fairness, reduce internal inequality, and serve as a motivation for lower-ranked teachers to advance professionally.
In addition, accommodation remains one of the biggest challenges confronting Ghanaian teachers. Unlike personnel in security services and the health sector—who receive accommodation allowances or housing support—teachers are largely left on their own. Consequently, a newly posted teacher in high-cost areas such as Accra, Tarkwa, Takoradi, or Kumasi is forced to take loans simply to secure accommodation. Over time, this creates a cycle of indebtedness that can trap teachers for years. Introducing a Teacher Accommodation Allowance would significantly ease this burden, enhance retention, and enable teachers to plan for long-term housing before retirement.
Given all these realities, it is high time teachers joined hands to demand reforms that genuinely improve their welfare, rather than settling for the mirage of percentage salary increments that lose value within months due to inflation, tariff hikes, and rising living costs. In truth, percentage increases may appear attractive on paper, but they do little to transform the harsh economic circumstances teachers face daily.
Ultimately, what teachers need are deep structural reforms—fair adjustments, transportation and accommodation support, the removal of discriminatory allowances, and negotiation processes guided by integrity and accountability. Without such reforms, the teaching profession will continue to lose its dignity, motivation, and appeal.
In conclusion, if teachers do not advocate for themselves, no one else will. The future of the profession depends on bold, collective action. The time for passive acceptance is over. The time for meaningful, intentional change is now. I therefore call on all teachers, unions, and stakeholders to rise above the illusion of percentage increments and fight for the reforms needed to restore fairness, motivation, and respect to the teaching profession in Ghana.
