GES’s Promotion Notional Date and Substantive Date: What Is Difference?

Every teacher employed by the government under the GES needs to understand the difference between a Notional Promotion Date and Substantive Promotion Date when it comes to GES Promotions.
In this post, we shed light on this.

While the two terms may seem to carry the same meaning, the reality is that they are different in every regard, and understanding them will help educators navigate promotions within the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Let us take a closer look at the two terms, their meaning, and their implications for the professional teaching career of the Ghanaian teacher.

What is the notification date when it comes to GES promotion?

The notional date is the official date of a teacher’s promotion, upgrade, or appointment date as a staff member of the GES. It is the date a teacher qualifies to be promoted to a new and higher grade per the GES structure.

Let us assume that Mr. Ansah, a teacher employed in the teaching service, was appointed to the rank of Senior Superintendent II in July 2020. Since he was employed in July, his notional promotion date to Superintendent I would be July 2024.

From the above, it is clear that the notification date is the teacher’s next promotion date. From this date on, seniority is established among teachers of the same rank.

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What is a substantial date when it comes to GES promotion?

This is the official date approved for the staff to receive their new salary, which corresponds to their new rank as determined by the Notional Date. The substantive date can also be said to be the date the employer officially approves the payment of the new salary that corresponds to the promoted or upgraded position of the teacher.

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Using the example above under the Notional Date, Mr. Ansah, although he had a Notional Date in July 2024, may not be promoted until, say, July 2025, as a result of delays in financial clearance. One can deduce that the substantial dates are influenced by financial considerations and the employer’s capacity to pay. Until the employer is ready and capable of paying the new salary, the teacher will still have a valid notification date without a specific date of promotion.