The Upper West Regional branch of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) has declared an indefinite strike in line with a nationwide action by the union over poor conditions of service for non-teaching staff in the education sector.
At a press conference in Wa, the Senior Industrial Relations Officer for TEWU in the region, Mr. Samuel K. Berko, said members in the Upper West are fully participating in the industrial action, which took effect on Friday, September 19, 2025.
He noted that the strike involves all non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES), public and technical universities, the Ghana Library Authority, and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.
Reading a statement from TEWU’s General Secretary, Berko said non-teaching staff have faced years of neglect despite their critical role in the education system. He said they have been sidelined in welfare benefits and conditions of service, which are guaranteed under the Labour Act, yet remain unfulfilled.
TEWU is demanding the immediate signing of conditions of service for its members and all junior staff in public and technical universities. The union also wants all non-teaching staff of the GES to be included in the payment of the Continuous Professional Development Allowance (CPDA) starting from September 2025.
Berko noted that while teaching staff have been assured of their CPDA, non-teaching staff remain uncertain about theirs.
Other demands include the payment of outstanding weekend and overtime allowances owed to security and catering personnel, and the resolution of long-standing promotion grievances affecting non-teaching staff in the GES. Berko said many staff members have stagnated in their ranks despite meeting requirements for promotion, which has affected morale and productivity.
He stressed that the strike is not aimed at students or parents but at what he described as an unfair system that undermines the dignity and rights of TEWU members.
He called on the government, particularly the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, to urgently resolve the issues.
Berko urged all TEWU members in the region to stay at home in solidarity until further notice, adding that their patience must not be mistaken for weakness.
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