Ghanaian Language teachers across the country are keeping their ears to the ground following a bold announcement by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, outlining government plans to recruit 50,000 teachers in 2025.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 25, the Minister assured Members of Parliament that sufficient budgetary allocation had been made in the 2025 national budget to facilitate what he called a “mass recruitment drive” aimed at addressing the teacher deficit across the country.
“Mr. Speaker, as I have assured this House, 50,000 teachers will be recruited, along with 10,000 non-teaching staff. Adequate provision was made for this in the 2025 budget,” the Minister stated.
This news has sparked optimism, particularly among Ghanaian language teachers, many of whom have long advocated for greater inclusion in national education reforms. With growing concerns over the declining use and promotion of local languages in schools, educators and language activists view this announcement as a potential turning point.
The Minister’s statement comes on the heels of protests by some unemployed teachers at the Ghana Education Service (GES) headquarters, with concerns raised by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, regarding the alleged mistreatment of demonstrators. Responding to this, Mr. Iddrisu disclosed that he had met with teacher representative Bafour Eric, who explained that although financial clearance was granted earlier in May, delays in deployment caused the clearance to expire by the end of the year.
“They were expected to start work in August but began in September. Naturally, by December 31, the clearance had expired. They can only proceed with a renewed clearance, which I am currently awaiting,” the Minister said.
He emphasized that the Ministry is working to secure fresh financial clearance and reaffirmed government’s commitment to resolving all posting delays. Mr. Iddrisu added that this large-scale recruitment is part of a broader strategy to improve learning outcomes, enhance support systems in schools, and push forward comprehensive reforms in the education sector.
For Ghanaian language teachers, many of whom are trained but remain unemployed or underutilized, this recruitment drive could signal new opportunities for deployment into basic and secondary schools, particularly as discussions around mother tongue instruction and cultural preservation gain ground.
Education watchers say the government must ensure equitable distribution of these jobs to include specialized teachers such as those in local language instruction, whose role is critical in the delivery of culturally relevant education.
As the Ministry moves toward implementation, many language teachers remain hopeful but vigilant, waiting for the finer details and application timelines to be made public.
Editor: Ama Gyesiwaa Quansah
