Over 30K classrooms without teachers – Adutwum says as he questions 7,000 recruitment clearance

Former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has expressed alarm over the alarming number of classrooms without teachers in Ghana, with over 30,000 reportedly lacking teaching staff. Adutwum questioned the government's decision to limit teacher recruitment to just 7,000 slots, despite the significant shortage and the retirement of many experienced educators.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, he emphasized that the Education Ministry had sought clearance from Parliament to recruit more teachers but received a far insufficient number. Adutwum highlighted that the teacher shortage negatively impacts learning outcomes, as pupils cannot perform well in exams without adequate teaching. He questioned why the government would not invest in the future of its children by employing more teachers, especially when the economy is strong.

Adutwum also pointed out the discrepancy in employment clearance between the education and health sectors, noting that the health ministry received more clearance compared to education. He stressed that his concerns are professional and not political, emphasizing his background in education. The Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana recently called for the restoration of the automatic posting policy for newly trained teachers, criticizing the government’s recent recruitment of only 7,000 teachers as inadequate.

The association expressed concern over the future of teacher trainees, with over 45,000 trained teachers currently awaiting posting and over 65,000 students still in Colleges of Education.