The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced the opening of applications for Study Leave With Pay for the 2026 academic year, inviting eligible staff to apply for approved programmes designed to strengthen capacity in critical subject areas.
According to a notice issued by the Service, the initiative aligns with its Study Leave With Pay policy and seeks to address staffing gaps while supporting the professional development of both teaching and non‑teaching staff.
For 2026, 60 per cent of available slots have been allocated to priority teaching subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Integrated Science, ICT, Computer Science, English Language, French, Ghanaian Language, Engineering, Special Education, Guidance and Counselling, Robotics and Coding, and Career Technology.
Another 30 per cent has been reserved for teaching and non‑teaching areas, including Visual Arts, Vocational Education, and technical courses such as Electronics, Applied Electricity, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Plumbing, Carpentry, and Building Construction. The remaining 10 per cent is designated for non‑teaching fields such as Librarianship, Procurement, Secretaryship, Business Administration, Estate Management, Laboratory Technology, and Accounting.
According to GES, applicants must meet several conditions to qualify for Study Leave With Pay. A staff member must have completed a minimum of three years of satisfactory service and will be bonded for a period equivalent to the number of years served plus one year. Staff who have served for two years in a designated deprived area may also be considered. Non-professional graduate teachers must have served at least one year before qualifying for a Post Graduate Diploma in Education, while staff returning from secondment must serve two years before becoming eligible.
A staff member must have at least two years left to serve after the course. For instance, a staff member who is 55 years and above cannot apply for a course lasting four years or more, but may apply for courses between one and two years. Eligibility is also subject to good conduct and performance and recommendation by an immediate supervisor. A staff member who does not qualify in the first year cannot reapply in the second year of the same course and must instead apply for Study Leave Without Pay.
On the application process, GES said interested staff should obtain forms from Metro, Municipal and District Education Offices, complete four copies, and attach certified true copies of certificates. Applications are to be submitted to the Regional Director through the Metro, Municipal, or District Director, or the Head of Institution, for second-cycle schools.
Regional and District Directors have been directed to ensure that the list of all fully qualified beneficiaries reaches the Director of Human Resource Management and Development at GES Headquarters not later than Friday, October 30, 2026. The Service said the approved subject areas are aimed at addressing gaps in critical fields and strengthening service delivery in schools across the country.
Source: GraphicOnline
