Qualifications to Teach in Senior High School in Ghana

With increasing interest in teaching at the Senior High School (SHS) level in Ghana, many individuals are curious about the necessary qualifications.

In this article, we break down the key requirements for aspiring SHS teachers.

Minimum Requirement

To be eligible to teach at the SHS level, individuals must have a first degree in a specialised area of study.

This degree should be obtained from a recognised university.

Enrollment in Educational Courses

After completing the Senior High School WASSCE, individuals must enrol in any university to undertake educational courses specifically designed for teaching at the SHS level.

Successfully completing these courses will qualify them to teach.

Specific Area of Education Courses

As stated earlier, in order to qualify for teaching positions in SHS, individuals must focus on specific areas of education during the university training.

These areas include subjects such as Mathematics, Science, English, History, and more that are taught at the SHS.

Specialising in a particular area increases the chances of being recruited as a teacher in that specific subject

Job Assurance and Minimum GES Rank

While getting a job directly is not guaranteed, having the qualification of completing educational courses tailored for the SHS level is a crucial requirement.

Additionally, the minimum rank set by the Ghana Education Service (GES) for newly recruited SHS teachers is PS (Principal Superintendent).

Teachers’ Licensure Examination

The Licensure Exams is also another requirement. it should be noted that there is a considerable pool of qualified teachers prepared to be recruited to teach at the SHS.

Many of these teachers hold first degrees, with some even having master’s degrees. They have also taken the necessary licensure examination.

Transition from Basic School Teaching

Teachers who have specialised in teaching at the Basic school level can also move to teaching at the SHS level.

To do so, they need to gain admission to any university to study a specialised course (degree) and then reapply to teach at the SHS level, provided there is a vacancy

Importance of Specialised Degree

Currently, most Basic school teachers have degrees in Basic Education from Colleges of Education.

However, such degrees do not automatically qualify them to teach at the SHS level.

To fulfil the requirements, these teachers may need to pursue additional degrees or top-up courses in specific SHS subject areas.

Clarification by the Ministry of Education

Addressing some of these misconceptions, the Ministry of Education in 2019 clarified that distance learning programs, or Sandwich Programs, do not disqualify teachers from teaching at public SHS.

However, it emphasised that degrees in Early Childhood Education or Basic Education, obtained through distance or campus programs, do not meet the eligibility criteria for teaching at the SHS level.

SEE ALSO: Ranks and salary of newly recruited teachers in Ghana Education Service – 2025