The Coalition of Unemployed Trained Teachers has rejected claims and set the record straight on what it describes as misleading claims surrounding the recruitment of Colleges of Education graduates, insisting that available records contradict assertions that thousands of qualified teachers were left without employment at the end of the previous administration.
Addressing the issue in a statement, the coalition said public discussions on teacher recruitment should be based on verifiable facts rather than speculation or politically charged narratives.
According to the group, every qualified batch of trained teachers from the Colleges of Education was recruited after satisfying all statutory requirements, with no eligible graduate left out of the process.
The coalition argued that the recruitment system was implemented in line with approved government procedures, ensuring that graduates who fulfilled all conditions were offered employment.
Beyond recruiting newly qualified teachers, the coalition indicated that the previous government also created opportunities for graduates who had initially missed recruitment because they had not completed mandatory requirements.
It explained that some teacher trainees were unable to secure postings after graduation because they had outstanding examination papers or had not yet passed the Ghana teacher licensure examination.
However, once those individuals successfully completed the outstanding requirements, they were subsequently granted recruitment opportunities.
“Graduates who regularised their academic or professional requirements were not denied employment. They were accommodated once they became eligible under the established recruitment guidelines,”
CUTT
The coalition argued that this demonstrated a commitment to fairness by ensuring that candidates were assessed based on eligibility rather than permanently excluded because of temporary academic setbacks.
Financial Clearance Opened Recruitment for Degree Graduates
The statement also highlighted what it described as a significant milestone in teacher recruitment following the transition of Colleges of Education to degree-awarding institutions.
According to the coalition, the first batch of degree graduates from the Colleges of Education completed their mandatory national service before receiving financial clearance on 10 May 2024, enabling them to be recruited into the Ghana Education Service.
The coalition maintained that the approval marked the formal commencement of recruitment for the pioneer degree graduates, describing the exercise as a major step in integrating the new generation of professionally trained teachers into the country’s education system.
“Financial clearance created the pathway for the first cohort of degree-trained teachers to enter the classroom after fulfilling every required obligation,”
CUTT
The group added that the process reflected adherence to administrative procedures governing public sector recruitment.
Self-Posting Model Enhanced Transparency
The coalition further pointed to the introduction of the Self-Posting Model as one of the key reforms implemented during the recruitment exercise.
Under the model, newly recruited teachers were allowed to select their preferred regions, districts and schools from available vacancies instead of relying solely on centrally assigned postings.
According to the coalition, the initiative promoted transparency while giving teachers greater flexibility in choosing where they wished to begin their professional careers.
It argued that the approach also reduced uncertainties associated with teacher postings and enhanced confidence in the recruitment process.
Education stakeholders have previously described digital posting systems as an important step toward improving accountability by minimising manual interventions and increasing transparency in teacher deployment.
No Charges for Appointment Letters
Addressing another issue that has generated public discussion, the coalition categorically denied suggestions that teacher trainees were required to pay money to obtain appointment letters.
It stressed that throughout all recruitment and posting exercises conducted under the previous administration, neither Colleges of Education graduates nor any other category of teachers paid for a PIN, access code or similar requirement before receiving appointment letters.
The coalition described the allegation as inaccurate, insisting that official recruitment procedures did not impose such financial obligations on successful applicants.
The group maintained that preserving public confidence in state institutions requires accurate representation of recruitment processes.
Call for Fact-Based Public Discourse
While acknowledging that teacher employment remains an issue of significant public interest, the coalition urged political actors, commentators and stakeholders to ensure that discussions are guided by verified information.
It cautioned that misinformation surrounding teacher recruitment has the potential to create unnecessary anxiety among graduates awaiting employment while also undermining confidence in public institutions.
According to the coalition, the official records remain available for independent verification by anyone seeking to establish the facts surrounding Colleges of Education recruitment.
The group further maintained that transparency, fairness and respect for teacher trainees were central principles that guided recruitment exercises throughout the period under review.
As discussions continue over graduate employment within the education sector, the coalition has called on all stakeholders to rely on documented evidence and objective assessments rather than unverified claims.
It concluded that protecting the integrity of public discourse requires commitment to factual reporting, noting that confidence in Ghana’s teacher recruitment system can only be strengthened when debates are informed by official records and verifiable evidence rather than misinformation.
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