England ends direct QTS applications for Ghana-trained teachers from 9 September

Pinned summary · as of 04:20

Teachers who trained in Ghana can no longer apply straight to England's Department for Education (DfE) for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The rule change, which also covers Nigeria, began on 9 September 2026. The UK side stresses that Ghanaian-trained teachers are not barred from working in England.

What we know

• From 9 September 2026, Ghana and Nigeria were dropped from the DfE's direct online service for overseas-trained teachers seeking QTS in England.
• The DfE says a country must have a national regulator that can vouch for a teacher's professional standing, and applicants must supply employment references that pass its checks, for the direct route to remain open.
• The department reported that over 70 per cent of applications from Ghana and Nigeria gave referees with free webmail addresses (Gmail or Hotmail, for instance) rather than official school ones. It said assessors had to spend extra time and resources trying to authenticate what applicants sent.
• In 2024/25, the two countries together sent 2,143 applications to the service. Ghana accounted for 1,067 of them and Nigeria for 1,076. Across both countries, 560 led to QTS and 1,348 were declined.
• The change leaves teachers from these two countries free to work in England. Assessment-only QTS, teacher training in England and international QTS programmes remain available, and UK government guidance says qualified overseas teachers may hold many teaching posts there for as long as four years before QTS is needed.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  The Insight News Online reports that the DfE stopped short of calling the references fraudulent. The department reportedly wants assurance that applicants' details are genuine before it grants QTS. The Press Radio did not report this point.
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  Only the Insight News Online gives a country split for 2024/25: Ghana had 196 successful and 749 declined applications, Nigeria 364 successful and 599 declined. It also says the two countries made up 2,143 of 5,873 applications worldwide, and that outcomes do not add up to totals because some cases were still under assessment or withdrawn.
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  The Insight News Online alone reports that the DfE's eligible list now names South Africa as its sole African country, with 197 applications in 2024/25 of which 82 led to QTS, and that Zimbabwe was removed in January 2024 over unverifiable documents.
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  The Press Radio alone reports the UK government's view that QTS is not a legal requirement at every kind of school, though it can strengthen a job application. The Insight News Online adds that QTS matters most for maintained schools, and that academies, free schools and private schools can sometimes hire without it. The two accounts have not been matched by a second source.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana supplies a large number of teachers who look to work in England, and the direct application route was one way to gain recognition there. Teachers in Accra, Kumasi and other cities who planned to use it must now choose another route, such as assessment-only QTS or an international programme, which may take more time or cost. The DfE's complaint about referee emails also points to something Ghanaian schools and applicants can act on, by using official school email addresses for references.