Cabinet approves recruitment of 2023 teacher trainees – Haruna Iddrisu

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, says the Cabinet has approved the recruitment of 6,100 additional teachers to help close staffing gaps in the education sector.

Addressing journalists in Accra on Wednesday, November 19, the Minister said that education remains Ghana’s largest employer and stressed the government’s commitment to strengthening the workforce.

Speaking at a press briefing, the Education Minister indicated that recruitment of teachers was captured in the 2026 budget presented by the Minister for Finance, Dr Cassie Ato Forson, in Parliament last week.

Responding to reports of ongoing demonstrations by some 2023 teacher trainees demanding postings and salary validation, Mr Iddrisu said the group has been fully accounted for under the newly approved recruitment batch.

“I understand that some striking teachers are looking for us on the streets of Accra. Let me respond to them that the Cabinet has approved the recruitment of 6,100 more teachers, and therefore that category of teachers, which belongs to the 2023 cohort, is adequately captured,” he said.

He expressed surprise that members of the same cohort were protesting instead of cooperating with the ministry to complete essential administrative procedures.

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

Mr Iddrisu urged the striking teachers to return to the appropriate offices for verification and processing, assuring them that the approval reflects the government’s determination to address their concerns and ensure smooth integration into the education service.

Meanwhile, the unemployed graduates from Colleges of Education who completed their training in 2023 have rejected the government’s move to recruit 6,100 teachers, demanding mass hiring and transparency.

In a statement released on Thursday, November 20, 2025, the leadership of the group—representing more than 17,000 trained teachers still without placement—said the Minister’s announcement has deepened their “uncertainty and frustration,” especially after their street protest on Wednesday, November 19, to demand mass recruitment.

The group has requested that the Minister in Charge of Education clarify the criteria that will be used to select the 6,100 teachers.

“Will the recruitment be based on a specific protocol, or will it be done through rough tactics, eliminating many deserving graduates?” the statement queried.