The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has thrown its full weight behind disgruntled, unpaid teachers, warning that the government’s failure to settle salary arrears is pushing the education sector toward a total breakdown.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, 14th April 2026, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba criticised the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education, demanding an emphatic statement on when the “unfair” withholding of teachers’ livelihoods will end.
As hundreds of unpaid teachers began mobilising for nationwide street protests, Mr Anaba directed his frustration toward the leadership at the Treasury, questioning the administrative blockage preventing the disbursement of funds.
“What is wrong? The Minister for Finance must sit up and do the right thing. I want to urge the Minister for Education to push harder. I don’t know what is blocking their money from coming, but this is unfair. We will not condone this,” the NAGRAT President stated.
He further endorsed the teachers’ decision to take to the streets, noting that the association supports any legitimate means of registering displeasure against state-sponsored economic hardship.
The controversy over unpaid salaries is being further compounded by a massive deficit in the teaching workforce. Mr Anaba revealed that while the country currently needs at least 50,000 new teachers, the government’s current recruitment plan targets only 7,000 personnel, of which only 5,000 are actual teachers.
The demand for these positions is staggering; according to NAGRAT, over 40,000 graduates have already applied for the few available slots, meaning the application rate is nearly six times the intended intake.
“There is a very urgent need for the ministry to push harder to increase the number of teachers that are recruited yearly. This is not acceptable. If we want to develop this country, we must take education seriously,” Anaba argued.
NAGRAT contends that the current shortage of “adequate numbers in the classroom” is a direct threat to the quality of Ghanaian education.
The association is demanding that the Ministry of Education issue a definitive timeline by tomorrow, Wednesday, ensuring that all outstanding arrears are paid “within the shortest possible time.”
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com