The Ministry of Education has announced that appointment letters for 7,000 newly recruited teachers will begin to be issued from Friday, while government has approved the recruitment of an additional 16,000 teachers and unveiled plans to construct two modern public libraries in Ho and Sunyani as part of efforts to improve teaching, learning and access to educational resources across the country.
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu disclosed the measures during the Government Accountability Series, describing teacher recruitment and investment in educational infrastructure as central to government’s agenda of strengthening basic education and expanding learning opportunities nationwide.
Providing an update on teacher recruitment, Mr. Iddrisu announced that the Ghana Education Service (GES) will begin issuing appointment letters to newly recruited teachers from Friday after a slight delay in the recruitment process.
He explained that government had initially planned to release the appointment letters on July 1 but revised the timeline due to ongoing administrative processes.
“beginning Friday, appointment letters should be out from the Director General of GES. We said first July, but we revised it because of the system we are going through.”
Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education
The Minister noted that the ongoing recruitment of 7,000 teachers forms part of government’s commitment to addressing staffing gaps in public schools and ensuring that classrooms across the country are adequately resourced with qualified educators.
He said the recruitment exercise is expected to improve teacher availability, particularly in underserved communities, while enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.
Government Approves Additional 16,000 Teachers
Beyond the current recruitment exercise, the Education Minister announced that President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for Finance have approved another major recruitment drive involving 16,000 additional teachers.
According to him, the recruitment will commence in November, with successful applicants expected to begin work between January and February 2027
The exercise will be conducted in two phases, with 8,000 teachers recruited in each cohort.
“The President and the Minister of Finance have granted another approval beginning in November for an additional 16,000 teachers in two cohorts of 8,000 plus 8,000.”
Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education
Mr. Iddrisu said the additional recruitment demonstrates government’s determination to strengthen Ghana’s education workforce and improve learning outcomes at the basic education level.
He reiterated that investment in teachers remains one of the most important strategies for improving educational standards across the country.
Government Expands Access to Public Libraries
Alongside the teacher recruitment drive, the Education Minister announced plans to strengthen the country’s public library system through new infrastructure investments.
He revealed that the Ghana Library Authority will soon begin constructing two modern libraries in Sunyani and Ho, expanding access to reading and learning resources for students and the general public.
The Minister further disclosed that government will allocate additional funding in the 2027 national budget to support the Ghana Library Authority’s nationwide expansion programme.
He explained that the investment forms part of a broader strategy to deepen literacy, promote reading culture and ensure that more communities have access to modern library facilities.
The planned expansion is expected to improve access to books, digital learning resources and educational materials, particularly for young learners and students preparing for national examinations.
Basic Education Remains Government’s Priority
Mr. Iddrisu stressed that government is deliberately shifting greater attention and resources towards basic education, arguing that strong foundational learning determines future academic success.
According to him, ensuring that children acquire literacy skills at the early stages of education remains critical to national development.
“Emphasis now should be on basic foundational learning. When a child gets literacy right, the child will get every other thing right because human capital remains the most important asset of every country.”
Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education
He said the simultaneous investment in teachers and educational infrastructure reflects government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment where every child has access to quality education.
Teacher Training and Tertiary Reforms Continue
The Minister also disclosed that newly established teacher training colleges, including the institution in the Savannah Region, have been absorbed into the public system and will receive recruitment allocations to support their operations.
Beyond teacher education, he reaffirmed government’s commitment to preserving the autonomy of public universities while strengthening quality assurance through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
Mr. Iddrisu maintained that university governing councils must operate within their legal mandates, adding that government remains committed to ensuring sound governance across tertiary institutions.
Education Investments Target Long-Term Development
The latest announcements underscore government’s broader efforts to strengthen Ghana’s education sector through increased teacher recruitment and expanded educational infrastructure.
With 23,000 teachers expected to be recruited in phases and new public libraries planned for Ho and Sunyani, government aims to improve access to quality education while creating a stronger foundation for literacy and human capital development.
The initiatives are expected to ease teacher shortages in public schools, improve access to educational resources and reinforce government’s commitment to building an education system capable of supporting Ghana’s long-term social and economic transformation.
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