Next NPP govt will not cancel NTC’s teacher licensure exam – MoE

The Deputy Minister of Education, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour says the next New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will not cancel the Ghana teacher licensure examination administered by the National Teaching Council (NTC).

Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum at the launch of the 2024 edition of the Ghana Teacher Prize (GTP) held at GNAT Hall, the Reverend Minister said the initiative will help produce professional teachers.

“There have been many reforms. We have never put a framework that recognizes our teachers as professionals, there came the introduction of the licensure exams, and now teachers have the framework to be recognized as professionals, upon whose shoulders every other professional will stand,” John Ntim Fordjour said at the Ghana Teacher Prize launch.

Meanwhile, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has pledged to abolish the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) introduced by the Akufo-Addo government if voted into power.

In his address at the National Democratic Congress Youth manifesto launch, the former president and presidential candidate said his next government will make teacher licensing a part of the final year program in Colleges of Education.

However, a spokesman for the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, condemned Mahama’s decision and said licensing systems have become essential in maintaining standards across various professions globally, serving as crucial tools for selecting qualified individuals.

“Whether through written or unwritten exams, these systems play a vital role in ensuring candidates meet predetermined criteria

This rigorous process is evident in sectors like security services, where stringent standards, including medical and physical examinations, are prerequisites for enlistment

Teacher licensure exams are paramount in this context, acting as benchmarks to ensure candidates meet predefined standards in knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, competencies, and experience necessary for effective teaching

This careful evaluation not only safeguards education quality but also protects the public interest by restricting teaching practices to qualified individuals

A robust teacher licensure system enhances the prestige, value, and integrity of Ghana’s education system, positioning teachers and students globally,” the Ministry’s spokesperson said in a social media post sighted by Pretertiary.com.

The National Teaching Council is mandated by the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (ACT 1023) to regulate the teaching profession in Ghana. As part of the Council’s regulatory functions, it is mandated to conduct examination for licensing of people who desire to teach.

The purpose of the Licensing Examination is to enable qualified teachers to acquire a professional licence and to ascertain whether candidates meet the demands of the National Teachers’ Standards on professional knowledge, practice, values, and attitudes necessary to deliver effectively in schools.