The Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially released the list of approved subject areas and eligibility guidelines for staff seeking Study Leave With Pay for the 2026 academic year.
The decision forms part of efforts by the Service to address critical staffing deficits across basic and senior high schools while building institutional capacity.
According to the management of the GES, available quotas have been categorized into specific percentages across priority disciplines to balance teaching and non-teaching capacity requirements.
Priority teaching subjects have been allocated the largest share of 60 per cent.
The approved subjects under this category include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Integrated Science, English Language, French, Ghanaian Languages, Physical Education, ICT, Computer Science, Special Education, Guidance and Counselling, Early Childhood Education, Religious Studies, Economics, Government, Geography, History, Music, Engineering, Career Technology, and Robotics and Coding.
A secondary quota of 30 per cent has been allocated to practical teaching and vocational fields. Areas under this bracket cover Visual Arts disciplines such as General Knowledge in Art, Sculpture, Graphic Design, Ceramics, and Textiles.
It also encompasses Vocational Education options including Catering, Hospitality Management, Home Economics, and Fashion Design, alongside Technical Courses such as Applied Electricity, Auto Mechanics, Electronics, Welding, Plumbing, Building Construction, Carpentry, and Draughtsmanship.
The remaining 10 per cent allocation is reserved for non-teaching administrative and professional support areas.
Eligible subjects in this category comprise Librarianship, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Secretaryship, Business Administration, Estate Management, Laboratory Technology, and Accounting.
Outlining the criteria for eligibility, the GES stated that applicants must complete a minimum of three years of satisfactory service to qualify, after which beneficiaries will be bonded for the total duration of study plus one additional year.
However, staff serving in designated deprived areas are eligible for consideration after two years of service.
Non-professional graduate teachers are required to serve for at least one year before applying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), while officers returning from secondment must complete two years of service prior to application.
Staff who previously vacated their posts and were later re-engaged must serve for five years before becoming eligible.
The Service further clarified that officers who fail to qualify in their first year of application cannot reapply in their second year of study and must instead apply for Study Leave Without Pay.
Additionally, applicants must have at least two years of service remaining prior to retirement, meaning staff aged 55 and above are ineligible for programmes lasting four years or longer.
All applications remain subject to satisfactory conduct, performance evaluations, and formal recommendations from immediate supervisors.
Eligible personnel are directed to obtain application forms from Metro, Municipal, or District Education Offices, complete four copies with certified certificates, and submit them through their district directors or heads of institution.
Regional Directors are required to submit approved lists of qualified candidates to the Director of Human Resource Management and Development at the GES Headquarters by Friday, 30th October 2026.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
