In 2023, a staggering number of over 16,000 Ghanaian teachers submitted applications to join the education sector in the United Kingdom, shedding light on the challenges faced by educators in their home country.
Professor Peter Quartey, the Director of the Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), has emphasized the urgent need for the Ghanaian government to create more job opportunities for teachers, addressing issues such as unemployment, low wages, and poor working conditions.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Prof Quartey expressed concern about the attrition rate among teachers and highlighted the factors driving many to seek employment abroad.
Unemployment, inadequate compensation, and unfavorable working conditions were identified as primary drivers prompting educators to explore opportunities in foreign lands.
The Professor urged authorities to take decisive action to rectify these issues, emphasizing the importance of improving learning outcomes in the country.
While acknowledging that preventing migration entirely might be challenging, Prof Quartey suggested managing the situation more effectively.
He proposed a coordinated approach where the government could set quotas for teacher migration, allowing for a controlled and beneficial exodus. This strategy, he explained, could include agreements for remittances from overseas teachers to help offset training costs incurred by the home country.
Drawing inspiration from the Philippines, Prof Quartey highlighted their success in implementing similar measures, not only in the teaching sector but also in healthcare. By regulating the migration of professionals, the Philippines has not only managed the outflow but also received significant foreign inflows.
Dr Christian Addai-Poku, the Registrar of the National Teaching Council, echoed concerns about the teacher attrition rate in 2023. He revealed that out of the 16,000 Ghanaian teachers who applied to the UK Department of Education, approximately 10,000, holding valid Ghana Teacher Licences, were granted certification to work in the UK without requiring additional assessments by the UK government as of June 13, 2023.
The surge in applications to the UK Department of Education serves as a wake-up call for Ghana to address the challenges faced by its educators. By implementing strategic measures to improve job opportunities, wages, and working conditions, the government can retain its skilled teaching workforce and enhance the overall quality of education in the country.
The call for a coordinated and regulated approach to teacher migration emphasizes the need for a balance between the aspirations of educators and the broader goals of the education system in Ghana.
Source: GESHub.org
