Ministry of Education Gets Approval to Recruit 7,000 Teachers – Haruna Iddrisu
The Ministry of Education has secured financial clearance to recruit 7,000 teachers in the coming months, as part of efforts to address staffing gaps across the country.
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the Ghana Education Service (GES) has received authorization to recruit 7,000 new teachers.The application portal will officially open on April 10, 2026, and the recruitment exercise will close by July 1, 2026.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on April 1, Minister Iddrisu acknowledged the ongoing shortage of teachers, which continues to impact education delivery across the country. He revealed that there are currently over 30,000 teaching vacancies nationwide.
He further noted that the 2026 national budget has allocated more than GH¢39 billion to the education sector, with part of these funds designated specifically for teacher recruitment.
The Minister confirmed that graduates from 2022 to 2025 are eligible to apply. Special consideration will be given to those willing to work in underserved and deprived communities where the need for teachers is greatest.
“Graduates from 2022 to 2025 can apply for teaching positions across the country. Priority will be given to applicants ready to serve in areas with the highest shortages,” he stated.
Minister Iddrisu emphasized that the recruitment process will be competitive, transparent, and aligned with the government’s decentralization plans.
“The GES application portal opens on Friday, April 10, 2026. This will be a transparent and merit-based process, with emphasis on placing teachers in underserved regions. We are also exploring the decentralization of teacher recruitment,” he added.
He confirmed that the exercise is expected to conclude by July 1, 2026.
In addition to basic education staffing, the Minister highlighted gaps in staffing at public universities. He revealed that financial clearance has been granted for the recruitment of 1,200 lecturers to strengthen tertiary institutions.
“Public universities will undertake limited recruitment to bolster faculty numbers. We are also considering a system for automatic replacement of lecturers, which is under discussion with the Finance Minister. For now, about 1,200 lecturers will be recruited and allocated under guidance from GTEC,” he explained.
This recruitment drive aims to reduce staffing pressures in both basic and tertiary institutions and improve the overall quality of teaching and learning in Ghana.
