Ghana Faces Deficit of 50,000 Teachers as Government Initiates New Recruitment Drive

Minister of Education Haruna Iddrisu has raised an alarm in Parliament, revealing that Ghana requires at least 50,000 additional teachers to bridge the staffing gap across basic and secondary schools. While the government has already commenced the recruitment of 7,000 new teachers to mitigate the shortage, the Minister acknowledged that this figure represents only a small fraction of the actual demand. The announcement highlights a critical challenge within the nation's educational framework, as the current workforce struggles to meet the growing needs of students nationwide.

The staffing crisis is particularly acute in specialized subject areas and rural communities. According to the Minister, there are significant shortages in Mathematics, ICT, and Special Education. Additionally, the tertiary sector faces its own hurdles, with an estimated requirement of 3,000 lecturers to ensure quality instruction at the university level. To address these disparities, the Ghana Education Service (GES) is currently conducting comprehensive assessments to identify the hardest-hit regions, with a particular focus on schools currently reliant on community teachers funded by local parental contributions.

The newly recruited cohort of 7,000 teachers is scheduled to officially begin their roles on July 1. Beyond this immediate intake, the government plans to leverage the upcoming mid-year budget review to engage the Ministry of Finance for expanded recruitment quotas. These efforts are expected to be complemented by broader infrastructure developments and enhancements to vocational education. The Minister noted that initiatives funded by the World Bank are being prioritized to improve school facilities, ensuring that the increase in teaching staff is matched by adequate learning environments for students across the country.