Mahama pledges review of single spine pay policy and pension scheme for teachers

President John Dramani Mahama has assured teachers of government’s commitment to reviewing the Single Spine Pay Policy and addressing concerns surrounding the three-tier pension scheme, amid growing calls for improved remuneration, better funding for education, and enhanced safety for teachers.

The assurance was given at the 54th National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

Speaking at the conference, GNAT President, Reverend Isaac Owusu, underscored the urgent need for reforms to protect the welfare of teachers, describing them as the backbone of Ghana’s education system.

“To celebrate these achievements, Your Excellency, we must not shy away from confronting the present challenges that continue to hinder our progress. The dedication of our teachers is unparalleled, yet they remain the backbone of the system and often underappreciated and overburdened,” Rev Owusu said.

He further lamented the impact of poor conditions of service on teachers across the country.

“We face an ongoing crisis regarding the condition of service, where many teachers struggle with inadequate salaries that do not reflect their hard work and dedication. It is incumbent upon us to address these issues head-on,” he added.

Rev Owusu outlined four priority areas requiring immediate attention: the review of the Single Spine Pay Policy, adequate funding for basic education, pension reform, and the growing incidence of assaults on teachers.

On the issue of safety, the GNAT President declared a firm stance against attacks on teachers, warning that the association would not hesitate to take drastic action if assaults persisted.

“We are declaring that this year, 2026, we are declaring a zero tolerance for teacher assault and brutality. Should any individual or group attack any teacher in Ghana without cause, we shall invoke the spirit and solidarity of ‘touch one, touch all.’ If we have to close down schools, we will close down schools,” he warned.

Responding to the concerns, President Mahama acknowledged widespread dissatisfaction with the current salary structure, describing the Single Spine Pay Policy as “very crooked” and assuring teachers of a comprehensive review.

“Everybody is unhappy with the spine, and so of course TUC raised it with us and asked if we could look at the whole salary structure again. We’re very willing to do that so that we are able to remunerate people better so that they can give off their best in terms of what we are supposed to do,” the President stated.

On pension reforms, President Mahama announced plans to set up a working team to review the three-tier pension scheme, with the aim of strengthening retirement security for workers.

He also condemned assaults on teachers, pledging the government’s full support in protecting educators.

“As for assault on teachers, I am with you one hundred percent. We will deal with it,” he assured.

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