The government has announced plans to construct 50,000 housing units for teachers across Ghana as part of efforts to improve teacher welfare, address accommodation challenges and encourage more educators to accept postings to rural areas.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu disclosed that the initiative, known as the Teacher Dabre Initiative, is aimed at providing decent accommodation for teachers and improving retention, especially in underserved communities.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, July 20, Mr Iddrisu said the project would be implemented through a decentralised approach, with the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) playing a key role in coordinating construction at the regional and district levels.

“We intend to construct 50,000 housing units for teachers all across the country. It is led by the District Assemblies Common Fund because we want to decentralise it at the regional and district levels,” he stated.

The Minister explained that the Ministry of Education would support the implementation of the programme, including exploring the use of pension fund resources from the Ghana Secondary School Pension (GSOP) as collateral backing for the project.

Mr Iddrisu also revealed that government is in the final stages of introducing a 20 per cent allowance for teachers who voluntarily accept postings to rural communities.

“Apart from the 20 per cent allowance for persons who are self-posting into rural areas, we are almost through,” he said.

He noted that the housing programme, together with other incentives, is part of government’s broader strategy to improve working conditions for teachers, reduce accommodation difficulties and make rural teaching assignments more attractive.