Teacher promotion arrears: GES to reopen payment system, sets Nov. 16 deadline

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced that the payment system for outstanding 2025 promotion arrears will reopen on October 28, 2026, as it works towards clearing all pending payments by November 16.

The move is expected to allow the necessary payment inputs to be submitted for affected staff who are yet to receive their promotion arrears, as well as facilitate corrections to discrepancies identified during the previous payment exercise.

In a letter dated Tuesday, October 27, 2026, and signed by Deputy Director-General (Management Services), Prof. Smile Dzisi, for the Director-General, the GES said it was collaborating with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to address the outstanding payments.

“The System will be reopened tomorrow, 28th October, 2026 to enable all inputs to be made and facilitate payment to affected staff by 16th November, 2026,” the letter stated.

The Service explained that the delay was linked to the closure of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department’s payment system for end-of-October salary processing.

“It is important to note that the Controller and Accountant General’s payment system was closed for processing of end of October Salaries when inputs were expected to be made,” the letter said.

The GES said the necessary arrangements were being made to ensure that staff who had not received their outstanding arrears were paid by the revised deadline.

“Management wishes to inform all staff who are yet to receive their promotion arrears that efforts are being made in collaboration with the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to ensure that the outstanding arrears are paid on 16th November, 2026,” it added.

Beyond the outstanding payments, the Service has assured staff that discrepancies identified in payments made on October 16, 2026, will be corrected.

“Furthermore, all discrepancies identified in the payment made on 16th October, 2026 will be rectified accordingly,” the letter stated.

The announcement follows an earlier payment exercise involving teachers’ promotion arrears, with some staff still awaiting their payments or the resolution of issues affecting their transactions.

The latest directive is therefore intended to address both unpaid arrears and errors identified in the previous disbursement.

The GES acknowledged the difficulties caused by the delay, stating: “Management regrets the delay and the inconvenience caused.”

Regional Directors have been instructed to bring the information to the attention of all affected staff.

The reopening of the payment system on October 28 is intended to enable the submission of outstanding payment details. However, the GES has set November 16, 2026, as the date by which the pending arrears are expected to be paid.

Staff who have not received their payments, as well as those who have identified discrepancies in their October 16 payments, are expected to be covered by the announced arrangements.

The Service has urged its Regional Directors to ensure that all affected personnel are informed of the update.