Rural Teachers to Receive 20% Salary Top-Up Under ‘Teacher Dabre’ Programme
The Deputy Minister for Education, Clement Apaak, has announced a 20 per cent salary top-up for teachers who accept postings to rural and deprived communities, as part of government efforts to bridge inequality in Ghana’s education system.
Dr Apaak made the disclosure during a courtesy call by top awardees of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education across the country.
According to him, the incentive forms part of the government’s “Teacher Dabre” Programme, which is designed to make rural postings more attractive and sustainable for educators. In addition to the 20 per cent increase on their gross salary, teachers who accept postings to hard-to-reach areas will receive accommodation support to ease the burden of relocation and living conditions.
“The President has a programme that is going to reward teachers who take teaching positions in rural areas. These teachers will receive 20 per cent on top of their gross salary as motivation,” he stated.
Dr Apaak explained that the policy was announced by President John Dramani Mahama during the 2026 State of the Nation Address as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening the education sector.
Ghana has long grappled with disparities in teacher distribution, with many educators preferring urban postings due to better infrastructure, housing, and social amenities. This imbalance has contributed to lower learning outcomes in some rural and underserved communities.
The Deputy Minister noted that the new measures seek to correct this gap by incentivising qualified teachers to serve where they are most needed. He stressed that students in rural communities deserve the same opportunity to excel as their counterparts in major cities.
The initiative, he added, reflects the government’s resolve to promote fairness, improve learning outcomes at the basic level, and build a more inclusive education system nationwide.
