Ghana Minute.
Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Wednesday, 16 September 2026
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Ghanaian press · Organization

Ghana Education Service

Also known as: GES · Ghana Education Service Directorate

Ghana Education Service — government agency overseeing senior high school placement, teacher professional development, and education administration nationwide.

2026-04-272026-09-16

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. September 2026
  2. Joy Online

    Former Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, has criticised the decision to allow students to select two Category A schools in the 2026 Senior High School (SHS) placement exercise.

    Allowing two Category A choices increased pressure on top SHSs – Dr Tandoh
  3. Joy Online

    The affected parents are calling on the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other authorities responsible for the placement process to expedite the resolution of pending cases.

    ‘I was ready to pay GH¢10,000’ – Parent recounts struggle to secure SHS placement for daughter
  4. Joy Online

    Charles Brobbey, Head of Supervision at the Tano South Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES), said the initiative would encourage beneficiaries to take their education seriously.

    Tano South MP supports 300 SHS students with educational supplies
  5. Joy Online

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) is introducing EduPack packages to Senior High Schools (SHS) and Senior High Technical Schools (SHTS) in a move aimed at limiting the personal items students carry to school and curbing the spread of bedbugs within boarding facilities.

    GES rolls out EduPack to tackle bedbugs in SHS, SHTS
  6. Joy Online

    The teacher unions described the reported comments as offensive, misguided and derogatory, arguing that they unfairly linked the alleged falsification of WASSCE certificates to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the teaching profession.

    Teacher unions demand apology from Muntaka over WASSCE forgery comments
  7. Joy Online

    The Schools for Clean Air and Waste Segregation (SCAWS) project is being led by Impact Footprints Africa (IFA) with support from the Clean Air Fund and in partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    Achimota, five other SHSs pilot waste segregation, clean-air initiative
  8. Joy Online

    The Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Huudu A. Kunaateh, revealed that the period following the release of BECE results is often fraught with grave dangers for candidates who struggle to meet admission requirements.

    Jirapa MP provides SHS prospectus items to 1,196 fresh graduates
  9. Joy Online

    According to him, prospective students with genuine issues should be directed to seek assistance directly from the Ghana Education Service (GES) instead of through the resolution centres.

    Mass exodus hits Category C and D schools as heads scout for students at Kumasi centre
  10. Joy Online

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) closed the school in August following disturbances linked to allegations made by some students against the school’s headmaster, Abdulai Zakaria.

    Obuasi SecTech closure leaves newly placed students in limbo as Adansi group demands reopening
  11. Joy Online

    In August, she also handed over 1,850 pieces of school furniture to the Ghana Education Service as part of efforts to address infrastructure and furniture needs in schools across the district.

    Kwahu Afram Plains North Assembly rolls out solar street lights to improve security and visibility
Politics

NPP demands apology or removal of Education Minister

The News

The New Patriotic Party has called on President Mahama to either apologise to Ghanaians or remove Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu over conflicting statements regarding the proposed introduction of Arabic and Chinese language studies in schools. The NPP argues that the President's denial of approving the policy contradicts earlier public announcements and curriculum development work by the Education Ministry.

50 min ago · The Ghanaian Times

Today

  1. NPP demands apology or removal of Education Minister

    The New Patriotic Party has called on President Mahama to either apologise to Ghanaians or remove Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu over conflicting statements regarding the proposed introduction of Arabic and Chinese language studies in schools. The NPP argues that the President's denial of approving the policy contradicts earlier public announcements and curriculum development work by the Education Ministry.

    50 min ago · The Ghanaian Times

  2. Education Minister hints at extension for Form One placement deadline

    The Education Minister has hinted at a possible extension of the reporting deadline for newly placed Form One students as the Computerised School Selection and Placement System continues to experience challenges. Parents and students have been seeking assistance at the Greater Accra Placement Resolution Centre with unresolved concerns including school distance, day-versus-boarding placements, and course dissatisfaction.

    1 hour ago · Joy Online

  3. SHS prospectus charges undermine Free SHS policy, says Adutwum's aide

    The spokesperson for former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has criticised the sale of Senior High School prospectus items through Prospectus Ghana Limited at packages costing about GH¢1,700, saying the arrangement defeats the purpose of the Free SHS policy. The National Council of Parents-Teachers Associations has also urged parents not to pay and alleged the company lacks authorisation from the Ghana Education Service.

    2 hours ago · Joy Online

  4. Gender Minister says coastal communities face serious teenage pregnancy challenges

    Ghana's Gender Minister reports that despite overall progress in reducing teenage pregnancy, coastal communities still struggle with the problem, citing transactional sex and other factors. The government is working with civil society and community leaders to intensify education and awareness, and the Education Service and Ministry are supporting pregnant students to continue their schooling.

    2 hours ago · Joy Online

  5. NPP demands Iddrisu apology or dismissal over language policy

    The New Patriotic Party has called on President Mahama to either apologize or dismiss Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu over the reported introduction of Chinese and Arabic into Ghana's school curriculum, citing a contradiction between the Minister's announcement and the President's denial of approving the policy.

    2 hours ago · Joy Online

  6. 272 graduates with disabilities formalized into GES

    The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection says 272 graduates with disabilities are being formalized into the Ghana Education Service to promote inclusive employment and create opportunities for persons with disabilities. The government is also pursuing legal reforms, including a Cabinet-approved amendment to the Persons with Disabilities Act 2006 to align it with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

    4 hours ago · Joy Online

  7. 19,760 persons with disabilities benefit from Common Fund

    The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection reports that 19,760 persons with disabilities have benefited directly from the Disability Common Fund across 208 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. The government is also formalising 272 graduates with disabilities into the Ghana Education Service and strengthening legal frameworks for disability inclusion.

    5 hours ago · Joy Online

  8. Sekondi Stadium rehabilitation complete, but maintenance key challenge

    Sekondi Sports Stadium has undergone rehabilitation and is showing visible improvements after years of neglect and deterioration. Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson cautioned that maintaining the facility through proper utilisation plans will be critical to prevent it from falling back into disrepair.

    8 hours ago · The Chronicle

  9. GES releases 2023 Capitation Grant arrears to basic schools

    The Ghana Education Service has transferred outstanding 2023 Capitation Grant arrears to District Education Directorates for disbursement to basic schools nationwide, with funds to reach schools before the reopening of the first term of the 2026/2027 academic year. The transfer includes Sports and Culture components for district and regional offices, and GES has announced plans to send a monitoring team to assess the fund distribution.

    11 hours ago · Joy Online

  10. Annual school placement delays cause anxiety among students, parents

    Ghana's Senior High School placement process has again caused widespread worry and delays, with parents and students queuing at resolution centres in Accra and elsewhere seeking assistance with placements into secondary and vocational institutions.

    11 hours ago · Joy Online

  11. Auditor-General must explain missing COVID spending reports, PAC vice chair says

    Parliament's Public Accounts Committee vice chair Davis Ansah Opoku has called on the Auditor-General to explain why COVID-19 expenditure by the Ministries of Local Government and Transport was not clearly captured in its audit report. An investigation found that the Local Government Ministry spent GH¢299 million on fumigation, while the Auditor-General's special audit reported GH¢96.3 million as total fumigation expenditure.

    12 hours ago · Joy Online

  12. PAC vice-chair: no arrests yet over missing fumigation spending

    Parliament's Public Accounts Committee vice-chair Davis Ansah Opoku says there is no basis for arrests over alleged omission of COVID-19 fumigation expenditure from the Auditor-General's special audit, calling instead for the Audit Service to explain why spending by the Ministries of Local Government and Transport was not captured. An investigation found the Auditor-General reported GH¢96.3 million in COVID-19 fumigation expenditure while ministry documents pointed to at least GH¢780 million spent on fumigation.

    12 hours ago · Joy Online

Yesterday

  1. Ghana records 53,415 adolescent pregnancies in first seven months

    The Ghana Health Service recorded 53,415 adolescent pregnancies between January and July 2026, including 1,501 cases involving girls aged 10 to 14 years, averaging about 7,000 pregnancies monthly among girls aged 15 to 19 years at health facilities nationwide. The Program Manager for Adolescent Health noted the figure approaches the annual national burden of over 100,000 adolescent pregnancies and highlighted that adolescent pregnancies are significantly higher among girls out of school than those remaining in school.

    20 hours ago · Joy Online

  2. GES declares September 25 National Continuous Professional Development Day

    Ghana Education Service has declared Friday, September 25, as National Continuous Professional Development Day, themed "Assessment in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Empowering Teachers to Assess Learning," as part of efforts to promote continuous professional development of education staff and strengthen teacher capacity in light of emerging developments like AI in teaching.

    15 September 2026 · Joy Online

  3. UNFPA and PPAG train Kumasi service providers on gender-based violence

    The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) trained service providers in Kumasi on gender-based violence (GBV) and human rights-responsive services as part of a joint Scale-Up Project running from 2024 to December 2026. The project aims to strengthen access to GBV and human rights-responsive services for survivors and marginalised groups.

    15 September 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Kit Up Ghana Foundation donates jerseys to Achimota Basic School

    The Kit Up Ghana Foundation has donated branded sports jerseys to Achimota Basic School in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service, aiming to promote sports, teamwork and holistic student development. The Foundation says sports is a tool for building unity and confidence among young people.

    15 September 2026 · Joy Online

  5. Education Ministry to review school placement system after exercise

    The Ministry of Education will establish a Technical Working Committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) after the current placement exercise, following a call by the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference for greater transparency and accountability. The review will examine various components of the system, identify areas for improvement, and recommend measures to make it more transparent and accountable.

    15 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

  6. Education Ministry urges reporting of illegal placement payment demands

    The Ministry of Education has called on parents, guardians, and the public to report anyone demanding money for school placements through the Computerised School Selection and Placement System, reiterating that placement is based on merit and requires no payments to officials.

    15 September 2026 · Joy Online

  7. GES claims 800,000 SHS spaces available for 600,000 students

    The Ghana Education Service says there is no shortage of senior high school spaces, with approximately 800,000 places available for just over 600,000 students seeking admission. The GES noted an improvement in automatic placements this year, with about 527,000 students automatically placed compared to 483,000 in 2025.

    15 September 2026 · Joy Online

  8. GES disputes nationwide SHS placement crisis claim

    The Ghana Education Service says pressure over this year's Senior High School placement is concentrated in Accra and Ashanti and does not reflect a nationwide crisis. According to the GES, 527,000 automatic placements and 53,000 self-placements combined represent 93–95% of students placed, with the remaining 5% constituting the margin of error rather than evidence of systemic failure.

    15 September 2026 · Joy Online

Monday 14 September

  1. GES reports 95% of SHS applicants already placed this year

    The Ghana Education Service says about 95% of students seeking senior high school admission have been placed, with 527,000 automatically placed compared to 483,000 last year. The GES head of public relations attributed the improvement to a significant rise in automatic placements and a drop in self-placements from 107,000 to 53,000.

    14 September 2026 · Joy Online

  2. Former NaCCA chief disputes Mahama denial on Arabic, Chinese policy

    Dr Prince Hamid Armah, a former head of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, challenged President Mahama's claim that no policy existed to introduce Arabic and Chinese as foreign languages in Ghanaian schools, citing public announcements by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, curriculum development involving 160 writers and reviewers, and formal presentation to the Ghana Education Service.

    14 September 2026 · Joy Online

  3. Ashanti parents accept lower-category schools as deadline nears

    Parents in Kumasi whose children lack senior high school placement say they will accept placement in any school, including Category C or D options, as the September 18 reporting deadline approaches and academic activities have begun in some institutions. They are urging authorities to consider boarding status for students given long-distance placements and transportation costs.

    14 September 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Eleven juvenile inmates achieve 100% pass in BECE

    All 11 young offenders at the Senior Correctional Centre in Accra passed the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination, with several securing passes in all nine subjects. The Deputy Director of Prisons attributed the achievement to the Ghana Prisons Service's focus on reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.

    14 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

  5. GES opens non-teaching staff promotion applications

    The Ghana Education Service has opened applications for suitably qualified serving non-teaching staff seeking promotion to various upper grades across accounting, audit, administration, catering, technical, library, supply, laboratory, secretarial, and driver classes. Applicants must have been promoted to specified grades by 2022 and remained continuously at post, with satisfactory work history and conduct; Master's and PhD holders may enter interviews out of turn if their qualification was obtained from an approved GES course after their previous promotion.

    14 September 2026 · Joy Online

  6. Gold Fields Ghana awards scholarships to 150 tertiary students

    Gold Fields Ghana Limited awarded scholarships to 150 tertiary students from its host communities, with 86 female beneficiaries and 50 who completed basic education in host community schools. Since the scholarship programme's establishment, 3,092 students have benefited.

    14 September 2026 · Daily Guide

  7. Primary school teacher found dead in Atwima Kwanwoma District

    A primary school teacher in Ampabame No. 1, Atwima Kwanwoma District, was found dead early Saturday after stepping out of his home; the circumstances are unclear, though the incident is suspected to be suicide, and police are investigating.

    14 September 2026 · Daily Guide

  8. Dr. Armah disputes President's claim on Arabic, Chinese curriculum

    Former Deputy Housing Minister Dr. Prince Hamid Armah has challenged President Mahama's claim that there was never a policy to introduce Arabic and Chinese into Ghana's schools, asserting that Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu publicly announced the languages as compulsory foreign languages at secondary level and that NaCCA developed and presented a curriculum including them in July 2026.

    14 September 2026 · Daily Guide

  9. Juvenile inmates achieve 100% pass rate in BECE exam

    Eleven young offenders at the Senior Correctional Centre in Accra achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination, with several securing passes in all nine subjects. The Ghana Prisons Service highlighted the achievement as demonstrating the value of education in reforming and rehabilitating inmates.

    14 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

Saturday 12 September

  1. Constitutional review requires open consultation with broader public

    Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, a former GES deputy director-general and NPP education spokesperson, has urged the government to keep discussions open during Ghana's constitutional review and conduct extensive consultations to secure broad public acceptance and ownership of the process.

    12 September 2026 · Joy Online

Ghana Education Service — Ghanaian press coverage · Ghana Minute