Education Ministry denies claim to introduce 13th month salary for teachers

Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, has denied a claim that the central government is considering the introduction of 13 month salary for teachers in the country.

This comes after a report said the Ministry of Finance is currently reviewing the proposal to assess its feasibility, saying the policy, if approved, will be gradually introduced to ensure sustainability.

The report said Mr Haruna Iddrisu, speaking at a policy forum in Accra on Monday, said, “Teachers are the backbone of our education system. Providing a 13th-month salary would not only boost morale but also improve retention and performance in the sector.”

The report added, “The proposal, aimed for implementation in the 2026 fiscal year, has been welcomed by several teacher unions, who have long advocated for improved remuneration packages.

However, some economists caution that the additional financial commitment will require careful planning to avoid budgetary strains, especially given competing priorities in health, infrastructure, and social services.”

It further indicated that “The 13th-month salary, a practice common in both the public and private sectors internationally, typically provides employees with an extra month’s pay at the end of the year, often used to meet holiday expenses or support household needs. Ghanaian teachers, many of whom face challenging conditions and limited incentives, are expected to benefit significantly from the initiative.”

But in a statement sighted by Pretertiary.com, the Ministry of Education (MoE) urged members of the general public to disregard any such information about the 13-month salary introduction.

“The Ministry of Education wishes to categorically state that at no point during any engagement, public forum, or official interaction has the Hon. Minister of Education made such a statement.

The publication is therefore a blatant falsehood and constitutes deliberate misinformation and disinformation intended to mislead the public,” the Education Ministry said in the statement.

“The Ministry places on record that while the government remains committed to improving the welfare and working conditions of teachers and all education sector workers through structured dialogue and sustainable policy measures, no such proposal as reported has been announced or advocated by the Hon. Minister.

In view of the foregoing, the Ministry calls on the Opera News platform to immediately retract the false publication and issue an unqualified public apology to the Hon. Minister and the Ministry of Education.

The public is encouraged to ignore the said publication and to refrain from sharing unverified or misleading information, as it could cause unnecessary worry and confusion.

The Ministry of Education remains committed to transparent communication and will continue to engage the public through credible and official channels,” the Ministry of Education (MoE) added.

In other news, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has assured newly posted teachers that the government is taking urgent steps to resolve the prolonged salary arrears that have left them working for months without pay.

Speaking at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, he described the situation as “an unacceptable labour practice” and pledged to ensure the matter receives immediate attention.

“I’m here to receive your humble petition and to assure you that I will walk the talk on the issue of the unfair labour treatment that has been meted out to you.

It is an unacceptable labour practice anywhere that you will work for 13 months without pay… Be assured that I’m on top of the matter,” he said after receiving a petition from the aggrieved teachers.