Teacher Recruitment: Approval Granted For Recruitment Of 16,000 Additional Personnel From November
- Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced approval for 16,000 additional teachers to be recruited in two phases of 8,000 each
- The first recruitment window is set to open in November 2026, with new teachers expected to begin work in January and February 2027
- Iddrisu said deprived districts such as Sissala, Sanguli and Fumbisi would be prioritised over major urban centres in the exercise
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that approval has been granted for the recruitment of 16,000 additional teachers in two phases, beginning in November 2026, as part of efforts to tackle persistent teacher shortages across the country.
Iddrisu announced on Monday, July 20, 2026, at a press briefing in Accra under the Government Accountability Series, where he outlined progress recorded in the education sector during the first 16 months of the Mahama administration.
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The planned exercise comes on the heels of an ongoing recruitment of 7,000 teachers, for which appointment letters were expected to be issued from Friday following a brief delay.
The new 16,000 will be brought on board in two equal batches of 8,000 each, with the first cohort entering service in January and February 2027.
Deprived Districts to Receive Priority
The minister said the phased approach was designed not only to scale up numbers but to direct teachers where they are needed most. Rather than concentrating new appointments in urban centres, districts experiencing acute shortages would be given preference.
The recruitment targets public basic and second-cycle schools, where a shortage of trained teachers continues to affect the quality of education, particularly in rural communities.
Broader Education Sector Hiring Under Way
Beyond the teacher recruitment, Iddrisu confirmed that approval had also been granted to hire staff for technical and vocational education institutions as well as certain tertiary institutions.
He said the combined hiring drive across agencies within his sector would amount to roughly 10,000 additional personnel.
The minister added that the government intended to sustain investment in school infrastructure, curriculum reforms and teacher welfare as part of a broader agenda to improve access to quality education nationwide.
GES closes teacher recruitment portal
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana’s recruitment portal for teachers closed back in April after an overwhelming 40,000 applications for just 7,000 positions.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu disclosed that budget constraints hindered plans to hire 50,000 teachers across the nation.
A digital education policy is on the horizon to bridge pedagogy gaps and enhance learning opportunities.
Source: YEN.com.gh
