The Ghana Education Service (GES) is set to receive 6,000 community teaching assistants, who will be recruited and deployed by the end of November 2026 to support teaching in hard-to-reach areas. The Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Mr Malik Basintale, disclosed this at the Government Accountability Series.
Mr Basintale stated that the agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with the GES under the Community Teaching Assistant Model Initiative. He explained that the assistants will support teaching staff in basic schools and will not replace them.
Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Mr Malik Basintale
“Under the agreement with the Ghana Education Service, the agency is expected to onboard 6,000 beneficiaries to support teaching in basic schools, particularly in underserved communities,”
Mr Basintale described the initiative as a measure to support the GES, particularly where additional teaching support is needed. Qualified young people will assist teaching staff in basic schools, gaining classroom experience while supporting access to education.
He clarified the role of the assistants, since the model has drawn questions, they will not take over teaching in the institutions where they serve.
According to Mr Basintale, the memorandum was signed as of September. He expressed hope that all 6,000 beneficiaries will be recruited and deployed by the end of November this year.
Arabic Teaching Programme Passes Its Target
Mr Basintale also reported that the Arabic Teaching Programme, which also falls under the community teaching assistant model, has exceeded its annual target. The programme aims to improve access to Arabic education in Zongo communities, and it combines educational inclusion with a targeted employment pathway.
He said as of September 2026, the agency had recorded 6,962 beneficiaries against an annual target of 6,000, or 116% of its target.
“This is just to beef up the gap and also support teaching in hard-to-reach communities.”
Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Mr Malik Basintale
He also recalled that the President had addressed the issue in recent months. Arabic instructors, Mr Basintale stated, are deployed to Zongo communities to help children who undertake Arabic exercises. This does not introduce a new language or syllabus into educational institutions.
Community Improvement and Job Centre Figures
Mr Basintale turned to other interventions like, the Community Improvement Programme brings together measures designed to respond to the needs of communities. He said it allows young people provide services relevant to local development while gaining work experience and earning an income. As of 30 September 2026, the agency had recorded 1,950 beneficiaries and plans to onboard more in the coming weeks.
He stated that YEA Job Centre connects unemployed young people with vacancies in the private sector. It seeks to give them access to decent and potentially permanent employment by matching job seekers with available opportunities. The agency had recorded 725 beneficiaries as of 30 September 2026 and plans to enrol more across the country.
He also described the Youth in Fashion and Apparel model as agency aims to increase youth participation in the fashion industry through skills training and the provision of start-up tools. The model lets beneficiaries develop productive skills and pursue small and medium scale enterprises in the sector. By 30 September 2026, the agency had recorded 9,373 beneficiaries against an annual target of 10,000, which is 93.7 percent of the target.
YEA Expands Youth Employment and Skills Development Initiatives
The planned deployment of 6,000 community teaching assistants forms part of the YEA’s broader efforts to create employment opportunities for young people while addressing staffing gaps in underserved communities.
With several other programmes recording progress in ICT, fashion, Arabic education and private-sector job placement, the agency is seeking to combine skills development with employment and community support.
The success of these initiatives will depend on effective implementation and their ability to deliver lasting benefits to both beneficiaries and the communities they serve.
READ MORE: Mahama to Urge Putin to Pursue Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire
