The Government of Ghana will recruit an additional 16,000 teachers in two phases beginning in November 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s education system, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has announced.
Speaking at the Presidency Communications Office’s Government Accountability Series on Monday, July 20, 2026, the minister said the planned recruitment is aimed at reducing teacher shortages while improving access to quality education, particularly in underserved communities.
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Haruna Iddrisu explained that the government is currently concluding the recruitment of about 7,000 teachers, with the Ghana Education Service (GES) expected to begin issuing appointment letters to successful applicants this week.
He further revealed that President John Dramani Mahama, together with the Ministry of Finance, has approved a fresh recruitment program that will add 16,000 teachers to the education sector through two separate recruitment exercises.
Under the first phase, scheduled for November 2026, 8,000 trained teachers will be recruited and are expected to begin work in January 2027.
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A second recruitment exercise involving another 8,000 teachers will follow, increasing the total number of newly recruited teachers under the initiative to 16,000.
According to the Minister, priority will be given to deprived and rural districts where persistent teacher shortages continue to disrupt effective teaching and learning.
He noted that areas with the greatest staffing needs will receive a larger share of the new recruits to promote a more balanced distribution of teachers nationwide.
Haruna Iddrisu added that, beyond creating employment opportunities for qualified teachers, the initiative is intended to enhance educational outcomes by ensuring that schools in remote and underserved communities have adequate teaching staff.