The Ghana Education Service (GES) has opened applications for Study Leave With Pay for the 2026 academic year, inviting eligible staff to apply for approved programmes aimed at building capacity in critical subject areas.
In a notice issued by the GES, the Service said the initiative is in line with its Study Leave With Pay policy and is intended to address staffing gaps in key subject areas while enhancing the professional development of both teaching and non-teaching staff.
For the 2026 academic year, GES has allocated 60 per cent of available slots to priority teaching subjects including 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, among others.
Another 30 per cent has been set aside for teaching and non-teaching areas such as Visual Arts, Vocational Education, and Technical Courses including Electronics, Applied Electricity, Auto Mechanic, Welding, Plumbing, Carpentry, and Building Construction.
The remaining 10 per cent is for non-teaching areas including Librarianship, Procurement, Secretaryship, Business Administration, Estate Management, Laboratory Technician 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.
