Education Minister's Claim on Recruitment of 2023-Trained Teachers 'Factually Incorrect' – Coalition

The Coalition of Unemployed Trained Teachers (CUTT) has challenged recent remarks by the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, regarding the recruitment of the 2023 batch of trained teachers, describing his claims as "factually incorrect" and inconsistent with the actual recruitment timeline.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the coalition said comments made by the Minister during an interview on GTV's Breakfast Show misrepresented the status of the 2023 cohort, creating confusion among thousands of qualified graduates who remain unemployed.

Coalition Rejects Minister's Claims

According to CUTT, the Minister suggested that part of the 2023 batch of trained teachers had already been recruited into the Ghana Education Service (GES).

However, the coalition maintains that no member of the 2023 graduating batch has been employed by GES.

It explained that the teachers recruited during the 2024 recruitment exercise belonged to the 2022 batch, who had completed their mandatory national service and received financial clearance for employment.

"The assertion that the 2023 batch has already benefited from recruitment is inaccurate and does not reflect the facts on the ground," the coalition stated.

Recruitment Timeline Clarified

CUTT outlined what it described as the correct sequence of events:

• The 2022 batch completed national service in 2024 and was recruited afterwards.
• The 2023 batch commenced national service in 2024 and completed it in February 2025.
• Despite completing national service several months ago, the coalition says none of its members has received appointments into the Ghana Education Service.

The group argued that the distinction is important because many graduates continue to wait for financial clearance and official recruitment.

Concerns Over Recruitment Process

The coalition further disclosed that after government approved financial clearance for the recruitment of 7,000 teachers, it proposed a phased recruitment approach that would prioritise the oldest unemployed graduates.

According to CUTT, the proposal was intended to ensure fairness and prevent earlier graduating batches from being overlooked.

However, the coalition claimed the proposal was not adopted, as the recruitment portal was instead opened to all eligible applicants, allowing graduates from different cohorts to compete simultaneously for available positions.

CUTT believes this approach disadvantaged many members of the 2023 batch, some of whom remain unemployed despite meeting all recruitment requirements.

Call for Public Clarification

The coalition has called on the Minister for Education to publicly correct what it describes as inaccurate information regarding the recruitment of trained teachers.

It said a clarification is necessary to restore confidence among affected graduates and provide the public with an accurate account of the recruitment process.

The group also urged the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to expedite the recruitment of qualified teachers who have completed national service and remain unemployed.

Warning of Further Action

CUTT indicated that it is prepared to pursue lawful and peaceful actions if its concerns are not addressed.

According to the coalition, prolonged delays in recruitment continue to impose financial and emotional hardship on thousands of trained teachers who are ready to serve in Ghana's public education system.

Conclusion

The recruitment of trained teachers has remained a major issue in Ghana's education sector, with successive graduating batches awaiting financial clearance before they can be employed by the Ghana Education Service.

Government has consistently maintained that recruitment is dependent on the availability of budgetary allocations and financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance.

The latest disagreement between the Coalition of Unemployed Trained Teachers and the Ministry of Education has renewed calls for greater transparency and clear communication regarding teacher recruitment timelines and employment policies.