GES Defends Recruitment Process, Emphasises Data-Based Teacher Placement
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has responded to public concerns about its current teacher recruitment exercise, stating that the process is guided by verified vacancy data gathered nationwide.
During an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story, the Head of Public Relations at GES, Daniel Fenyi, explained that the recruitment spans all levels of pre-tertiary education, including kindergarten, primary, junior high, and senior high schools.
He clarified that staffing decisions are not arbitrary but are informed by detailed data submitted by schools, districts, and regional education offices prior to the commencement of recruitment.
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“All institutions were required to declare their staffing gaps before the exercise began. The recruitment process is therefore driven by data collected at the school, district, and regional levels,” he indicated.
According to him, this structured approach enables the Service to identify and address staffing shortages accurately across the system.
Mr. Fenyi made these remarks in response to concerns from education stakeholders about reports of teacher surpluses in certain locations.
He admitted that teacher rationalisation remains a key challenge, noting that imbalances still exist, where some areas have more teachers than required while others face shortages.
He further explained that teacher distribution is influenced by several factors, including student enrolment figures and the specific needs of schools at different levels.
“In some cases, the number of pupils in a school may require multiple teachers or even additional support staff, especially at the early grade level,” he added.
Mr. Fenyi also acknowledged that posting teachers to less-endowed areas can present difficulties. However, he stressed that such challenges are not merely about unwillingness to accept postings but involve broader considerations.
The GES maintains that efforts to recruit and redistribute teachers are ongoing, with the goal of achieving a fair and balanced allocation of staff across all schools.