A senior lecturer at the Kumasi Technical University, Ernest Agyei, has observed that many Ghanaian youth are discouraged from venturing the teaching profession due to the poor treatment of educators, especially on retirement.
According to him, the teaching profession is not valued in Ghana, hence “when young people see how teachers are treated, they lose motivation to join the ranks.”
He added that the problem does not end with active teachers; retired educators are also suffering.
Speaking in an interview with Barima Kofi Dawson on Nhyria FM’s “Kroyimunsem” morning show, Mr. Agyei pointed out that retirement benefits are far from adequate.
According to him, poor retirement benefits are driving young people away from teaching and pushing many retired teachers into serious health crises.
“A teacher who earns ¢10,000 a month will receive no more than ¢3,000 in pension,” he explained. “If a teacher is on ¢5,000, what can we expect their retirement benefit to be?”
He contrasted this with teachers in other Africa countries who enjoy comfortable post‑service lives, noting that Ghanaian teachers are left struggling.
He also warned that unless the situation is addressed, the country risks losing a generation of qualified educators to other professions or overseas opportunities, which would further undermine the quality of education at all levels.
“Teaching is the foundation of every nation, and the Bible reminds us that ‘for lack of knowledge my people perish.’ So I’m not surprised that many of our youth are turning away from the teaching profession,” he said.
Mr. Agyei called for immediate reforms to improve salaries and pensions, arguing that a well‑remunerated teaching force is essential for the nation’s development.
He urged the government and relevant agencies to review the pension scheme and ensure that retired teachers receive benefits that reflect their contributions.
The lecturer also welcomed President John Mahama’s recent decision to review the Single‑Spine Pay Policy and to address concerns over the three‑tier pension scheme for teachers.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Agyei remarked. “If the government revisits the pay structure and ensures a fair, unified pension system, it will restore confidence in the profession and motivate the next generation of educators.”
Source: Francis Mensah
