President John Mahama has assured the nation’s educators that his administration will review the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) and resolve ongoing concerns regarding the three-tier pension scheme.
The President gave these assurances on Monday, January 5, 2026, during the 54th National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).
GNAT Highlights Systemic Challenges
The President’s remarks follow intensified calls for improved remuneration, increased funding for basic education, and safer working environments for staff.
Speaking at the event, the President of GNAT, Reverend Isaac Owusu, emphasized the urgency of systemic reforms to protect teacher welfare.
“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 stated.
He further highlighted the disconnect between the effort teachers put in and the compensation they receive:
“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.”
Beyond financial concerns, Rev. Owusu issued a stern warning regarding the safety of educators, declaring a policy of “zero tolerance” for violence against teachers.
“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.”
Responding to these concerns, President Mahama acknowledged the flaws in the current pay structure, describing the Single Spine Pay Policy as “very crooked.” He committed to a comprehensive overhaul of the system to better reflect the needs of the workforce.
“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.”
In addition to salary reforms, the President pledged to form a specialised working team to evaluate and enhance the pension system, ensuring that teachers and other public sector workers can look forward to a secure retirement.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
