President John Dramani Mahama is expected to open the Ghana National Association of Teachers’ (GNAT) 7th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference in Accra on Monday, January 5, 2026, setting the tone for a major national conversation on the state of education in Ghana.
The conference, which also serves as GNAT’s 54th National Delegates Conference, will bring together teacher leaders from across the country at a time when the education sector is under increasing pressure to deliver results amid ongoing reforms.
Taking place against the backdrop of the 50th anniversary of the Ghana Education Service (GES), which was established in 1974, the conference is being held under the theme “Education and Development: The GES @ 50 – Reflecting, Reviewing, Revising and Growing the Profession and the Unions.”
Discussions are expected to centre on the performance of the education system, the welfare of teachers and the evolving role of teacher unions in shaping education policy.
The participation of President Mahama highlights the growing political attention being paid to education and the teaching profession, as stakeholders assess five decades of the GES and outline priorities for the future.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, will serve as Special Guest of Honour, while respected statesman Opanin Kwame Pianim will chair the conference. The keynote address will be delivered by Prof. George K. T. Oduro, Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Education.
GNAT General Secretary Thomas T. Musah will lead the conference’s policy and administrative sessions. In a previous courtesy call on President Mahama earlier this year, Musah extended the invitation and expressed confidence in the new administration’s commitment to improving teacher welfare.
The meeting runs from December 30, 2025, to January 8, 2026, at the Ohene Konadu Auditorium of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), with sessions starting daily at 9:00 a.m.
At the end of the conference, GNAT is expected to outline clear positions on key education reforms, set fresh priorities for teacher welfare and redefine the union’s role in shaping policy, as stakeholders look beyond the GES@50 celebrations towards the future of Ghana’s education system.
The conference comes at a critical time for Ghana’s education sector. The government recently held a National Education Forum in Ho in February 2025, where key stakeholders discussed transforming education for a sustainable future. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has also met with various stakeholders, including UNICEF, the World Bank, and university leadership, to strengthen partnerships aimed at advancing educational reforms.
GNAT has over 200,000 members and represents teachers across the whole of Ghana at all levels in the pre-tertiary education sector. The union has been advocating for improved teacher welfare, better working conditions, and professional development opportunities for its members.
