District Assemblies to Handle Recruitment, Posting and Sanctioning of Teachers Under New Policy
The Government is considering a major policy shift to decentralise the recruitment, posting and sanctioning of teachers from the central government to the district assemblies, the Minister of Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, has announced.
The move follows a directive from President John Dramani Mahama to review the current centralised teacher recruitment system, which is largely managed by the Ghana Education Service (GES), to strengthen decentralisation and improve efficiency in addressing local education needs.
District Assemblies to Take Lead Role
According to Mr Iddrisu, the proposed policy would make teacher recruitment a primary responsibility of district assemblies, aligning with the broader national decentralisation framework currently under review.
The Minister explained that the reform is expected to empower local authorities to respond more quickly to staffing shortages in schools, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach communities.
He disclosed this during the 14th Congregation and 96th Anniversary celebration of St John Bosco’s College of Education in Navrongo.
Quoting President Mahama, the Minister said the President had questioned why assemblies such as Kassena-Nankana could not recruit and discipline teachers independently but had to rely solely on the GES, stressing the need for a reversal of the current policy.
DACF Increase to Support Decentralisation
Mr Iddrisu further revealed that discussions on decentralising teacher recruitment are being considered alongside proposals to adjust the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
Government is considering a gradual increase in the DACF allocation from the current five per cent to 7.5 per cent. The additional two per cent would be dedicated to decentralised education and health services.
Under the proposal, one per cent would be allocated specifically to decentralised education operations supervised under the local government system, while another one per cent would support decentralised health services.
The Minister emphasised that any additional financial resources to the sector would be tied to decentralised operations to ensure improved efficiency, transparency and accountability at the local level.
Cabinet Approval Pending
While discussions are ongoing, Mr Iddrisu noted that formal announcements would only be made after Cabinet and policy approvals. However, he assured that Government remains committed to reforms aimed at improving service delivery within the education sector.
Curriculum Review and Digital Education Push
The Minister also disclosed that a review of the curriculum from kindergarten to the junior high school level is currently underway. The review places strong emphasis on digital literacy, digital education and the development of smart classrooms to prepare learners for the future.
Government expects digital skills and smart classroom systems to define future investments in the education sector.
Graduation Ceremony Highlights
At the event, a total of 581 graduands from the 2023/2024 academic year were awarded various Bachelor of Education degrees. The specialisations included Science, Agriculture, Mathematics, ICT, Visual Arts, Construction Technology, Metal and Automotive Technology, Electronic Technology, Wood Technology and Home Economics for Junior High School specialisation, as well as Upper Primary education.
Reform to Address Structural Challenges
Education sector observers say the proposed decentralisation could help address long-standing challenges such as delays in recruitment, mismatched teacher postings and limited flexibility in responding to district-level teacher shortages.
If implemented, the reform would represent one of the most significant structural changes to Ghana’s teacher management system in recent years.
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