Government justifies recruitment of 7,000 teachers

Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has defended the government’s decision to recruit 7,000 teachers, amid criticisms that the figure falls short of the country’s educational needs.

Speaking at the launch of the 19th edition of the eLearning Africa Conference on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, he explained that financial constraints have limited the government’s ability to recruit more teachers, despite rising demand across schools nationwide.

GES announces recruitment of graduate teachers

“If resources were available, we would be employing up to 50,000 teachers across the country. However, due to budgetary constraints, we are unable to do so. The Ministry of Education was granted clearance from the Ministry of Finance to recruit up to 7,000 teachers with degrees and diplomas. Accordingly, the process has been advertised in an open and transparent manner,” he said.

Haruna Iddrisu noted that the recruitment exercise has been conducted transparently and in line with established procedures, ensuring fairness for all applicants.

He also described the high number of applications as a reflection of the growing demand for employment in the education sector.

“When the portal was opened for 7,000 teachers, we received over 40,000 applications. The Ghana Education Service subsequently closed it, and those who were fortunate enough to apply will be critically assessed based on their readiness, competence, and qualifications,” he added.

Beyond the recruitment exercise, the minister outlined the government’s plans to roll out a digital education policy aimed at addressing systemic gaps and improving learning outcomes across the country.

According to the Ghana Education Service (GES), more than 40,000 prospective teachers applied for the 7,000 available positions.

The surge in applications prompted authorities to shut down the portal earlier than expected in order to manage the high volume.

JKB/VPO