Demonstration Against Teacher License Examination is Needless - Educate Ghana Summit

Every sector in the country is regulated by Authorities which act in conformity with rules and regulations governing the sector.

Teacher Licensure Examination is one of the policies that the National Teaching Council (NTC) in partnership with the Ministry of Education is implementing in pursuant to Education Act 778 (2008) which mandates all teachers to undertake the Licensure Examination.

Although, the timing for its implementation seems to be a bit problematic comparing that of Nurses. The course, we think should be undertaken when in Colleges of Education before trainees come out.

Mr Appiah, the president of Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) in his speech delivered at Ada College of Education stated that there is no cause for alarm in writing the Licensure Examination. According to him, they were included in a stakeholders meeting concerning its implementation, a clear indication that, Teacher Trainees assent to it.

However, this has triggered the impatience of some Teacher trainees and they demonstrated on the streets of Kumasi and on social media platforms.

Some newly trained teachers also have the notion that, the examination is just meant to fail teachers and to reduce their numbers.

Others are also of the view that, NABCO as an intervention which has been initiated to reduce unemployment in the country is recruiting over 3000 university graduates of which most of them do not have Education background and these people will soon be posted to schools to teach. The question now is, would they also take the licensure examination?

Educate Ghana Summit is saying that, demonstrating on this will be of no use and so Principals of the various Colleges Of Education must ensure that Teacher trainees are given orientation on the Examination and its relevance.

Also, we are telling NTC and for that matter the government of Ghana that the registration fee of GH¢220.00 is on the high side and needs to be reduced.

By this release, we want to entreat our brothers and sisters to halt the demonstrations and instead, use dialogue.