Ghana Severe Teacher Shortage Leaves 30,000 Classrooms Empty

Ghana is facing a serious teacher shortage, with an estimated 30,000 classrooms currently operating without teachers, according to Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch).

He attributed the situation to the government’s failure to recruit new teachers in 2025, which has had a damaging effect on basic education across the country.

Speaking on Channel One TV, Mr Asare noted that many pupils are being left without adequate instruction, increasing the risk of poor learning outcomes and school dropouts.

The education sector requires the recruitment of at least 15,000 teachers annually to maintain stability, taking into account uneven distribution and natural attrition within the system, he explained.

However, no new teachers were employed in 2025, further deepening existing challenges, and as a result, at least 30,000 classrooms are without teachers, Mr Asare warned.

He called on the government to urgently recruit at least 30,000 teachers, with a focus on basic schools, and to ensure that postings are directed to areas of greatest need.

Mr Asare also urged the authorities to fulfil earlier promises to provide allowances for teachers who accept postings to deprived communities, stressing that such incentives must accompany any meaningful deployment strategy.

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