Education Minister: 6,100 teachers to be recruited from 2023 cohort

Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu has responded to Wednesday’s peaceful protest by unposted teachers, assuring them that government is actively working to address their concerns and integrate them into the education system.

Speaking to journalists on November 19, the Minister reaffirmed that the education sector is Ghana’s largest employer and said resolving the backlog of unposted teachers remains a priority. He revealed that Cabinet has approved the recruitment of 6,100 teachers, all from the 2023 cohort who have already been captured in government recruitment data.

“Education remains Ghana’s largest employer. I understand that some striking teachers are looking for us on the streets of Accra. To respond to them, Cabinet gave approval for us to recruit some 6100 more teachers and therefore that category of teachers would belong to the 2023 cohort, are adequately captured,” he said.

He emphasised that government is committed to absorbing trained teachers into classrooms nationwide and noted that the new recruitment round will help reduce the number of unposted graduates.

Haruna Iddrisu also urged the protesting teachers to return to the appropriate offices for verification and documentation.

“I will be surprised if it is the same group that is on the streets. They rather should be looking for us and going back to offices for purpose of audit and identification to be reinstated to be paid,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Unemployed Trained Teachers from the Colleges of Education has staged a major demonstration demanding immediate postings. The group, made up of 2022 and 2023 graduates, says members have been left idle despite completing national service and passing the Teacher Licensure Examination.

The protest began at the Tema Station in Accra and is expected to continue to the Jubilee House, where the demonstrators intend to present a petition to the presidency.