Ghana’s Special Schools cry for help as 70% of teachers lack specialised training

Special schools in Ghana are struggling due to a lack of specially trained teachers for children with special educational needs. Only 30 percent of teachers in these schools are specially trained, while the remaining 70 percent are regular teachers who lack the necessary expertise. The Conference of Heads of Special Schools (COHESS) highlighted this issue at their annual conference, expressing concern over the impact on the quality of education and support provided to vulnerable learners.

COHESS Chairperson Roseline Frepomaa Adjepong emphasized that while there are trained special education teachers available, many are not being assigned to special schools. Instead, regular teachers with little to no specialized training are often posted to these institutions. This situation forces school heads to undergo additional training themselves before they can effectively support the unique needs of learners with disabilities.

Teaching in a special school demands specialized communication techniques, individualized teaching approaches, and adapted learning materials, all of which require qualified special education teachers. The lack of trained instructors not only pressures teachers and schools but also weakens the hope of thousands of children and their parents who rely on special schools for their children's development and independence.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has pledged to address these challenges, but COHESS insists that trained special education teachers must be deployed to the schools where they are needed most.