The National Teaching Council (NTC) has warned that teachers without professional teaching qualifications will not be allowed to remain in the Ghana Education Service (GES) beyond December 2026 if they fail to obtain valid teaching licences.

According to a report by citinewsroom.com on May 11, 2026, the Council has introduced a fast-track diploma programme nationwide to help affected teachers regularise their professional status.

Speaking on ChannelOne Newsroom on Sunday, May 10, the Director for Licensing and Registration at the NTC, Francis Addai, explained that the programme would be conducted in two cohorts and completed by December this year.

“The first batch of teachers will complete the programme in August, while the second batch will begin in September and finish before the end of the year,” he stated.

Addai encouraged all unqualified teachers to take advantage of the initiative to obtain the required professional certification.

He further warned that the NTC would formally notify the GES about teachers who fail to meet the licensing deadline.

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“They need a licence to teach, so they cannot continue to remain in the GES as non-professional teachers,” he stressed.

The warning follows a recent nationwide survey conducted by the National Teaching Council, which revealed that more than 42,000 teachers in basic and senior high schools across the country lack professional teaching qualifications.

Out of the figure, 12,279 teachers are in senior high schools, while more than 30,000 are in basic schools.

The Ashanti Region recorded the highest number of unqualified teachers, with nearly 4,000 cases, followed by the Greater Accra and Eastern regions.

The 18-week diploma programme is being organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and five public universities, including the University of Cape Coast and the University of Education, Winneba.

The programme has also been subsidised to make it more affordable for teachers seeking professional certification.

VKB/VPO