Game-Changing Commitment: Education Minister Pledges to integrate UEW-Trained Teachers in to GES

Subtitle: Haruna Iddrisu vows to integrate UEW graduates, protect university lands, and strengthen Ghana’s education system with bold reforms.

By
Ellis Ferdinand
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Game-Changing Commitment: Education Minister Pledges to integrate UEW-Trained Teachers in to GES
Game-Changing Commitment: Education Minister Pledges to integrate UEW-Trained Teachers in to GES

Ferdinand | EducationGhana |  February 28| Game-Changing Commitment: Education Minister Pledges to integrate UEW-Trained Teachers in to GES

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu pledges to integrate UEW-trained teachers into GES, address staffing shortages, protect university lands, and reconstitute governing councils by March 2025.

The Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has assured the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) that graduates trained at the institution will be fully integrated into the Ghana Education Service (GES) to enhance quality teaching and address employment concerns among trained teachers.

This commitment was made during a courtesy call by a delegation from UEW, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, to the Ministry of Education on Monday, February 24, 2025.

Commitment to Employing UEW-Trained Teachers

During the meeting, the Minister of Education acknowledged that despite UEW’s reputation as Ghana’s leading teacher-training institution, many of its graduates struggle to secure employment within the GES.

“I have taken notice of this situation and will take immediate steps to ensure that UEW-trained teachers are properly absorbed into the system,” Hon. Haruna Iddrisu stated.

This assurance is expected to bring relief to UEW graduates, many of whom have expressed frustration over delays and uncertainties in securing permanent employment in Ghana’s public education system.

UEW Raises Concerns Over Staffing, Governance, and Land Issues

The UEW delegation used the occasion to highlight several pressing challenges facing the university, including:

  • Delays in Constituting the Governing Council – UEW has been operating without a fully constituted governing council, which has slowed down administrative and academic decision-making.

 

  • Staffing Shortages – The university has struggled to replace retiring and departing faculty members due to strict government clearance processes.

 

  • Land Encroachment – UEW faces ongoing legal disputes over land ownership, with private developers encroaching on its property.

 

  • Employment of Graduates – Many trained teachers from UEW remain unemployed, despite Ghana’s teacher shortage in certain regions.

 

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Education Minister Promises Solutions to UEW’s Challenges

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu provided key assurances to address the concerns raised by UEW:

National Research Fund to Support Academic Growth

The Minister announced the launch of a National Research Fund later in 2025, which will provide financial support for academic research in various disciplines.

He encouraged UEW faculty and researchers to take advantage of this initiative to enhance their scholarly contributions and improve education policies in Ghana.

Government Clearance for Faculty Recruitment

One of the major challenges facing UEW is the difficulty in replacing faculty members due to government clearance restrictions.

Hon. Iddrisu revealed that he had already engaged the Minister of Finance on the matter and was working on a solution to simplify the hiring process for universities.

Protecting UEW Lands from Encroachment

The Minister assured UEW’s leadership that the government would take swift action to protect the university’s lands from illegal encroachment.

“Should there be any correspondence that I need to submit to the Lands Commission to ensure the protection of the university’s lands, please inform me. I am prepared to instruct the Lands Commission to honor UEW’s ownership of its lands in accordance with Ghanaian law,” he stated.

Reconstitution of University Governing Councils by March 2025

Hon. Iddrisu assured UEW that all university governing councils would be fully constituted by March 30, 2025.

“I have instructed the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to request institutional representation directly from universities for council nominations. Once GTEC submits the nominations, we will incorporate them within the legal framework,” he explained.

The Minister added that the government would only be responsible for appointing one male representative, one female representative, and the Chairperson of the council.

Strengthening Higher Education Through Collaboration

Hon. Haruna Iddrisu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to collaborating with UEW to enhance higher education in Ghana.

✔️ Expanding access to education for all.
✔️ Improving governance structures for efficient decision-making.
✔️ Ensuring financial sustainability for public universities.

“I assure you that I will make every effort to expand access to higher education, enhance its relevance, and ensure both equity and quality,” he emphasized.

Implications for Ghana’s Education System

The Minister’s commitment to integrating UEW graduates into GES is a major step towards:

✔️ Addressing Ghana’s teacher shortages in key subject areas.
✔️ Providing employment opportunities for trained educators.
✔️ Enhancing the quality of teaching in public schools.

By ensuring that trained teachers from UEW are fully absorbed into GES, the government aims to bridge the gap between teacher training and employment while improving the overall quality of education in Ghana.

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