I will cancel NTC Licensure Examination for Teachers – John Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his commitment to cancel the controversial Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination for Teachers when elected president.

The former president and the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said this on his Facebook encounter on December 23, 2019 said.

The maiden GTLE was organized by the National Teaching Council (NTC) in September 2018 for 2018 trained teachers from the 46 Accredited Public Colleges of Education, Distance students and University students who did education programmes.

This examination came as a shock and worry to the 2018 trained teachers who successfully graduated from College at the time they were waiting for posting from the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Before the maiden GTLE was conducted, the 2018 trained teachers kicked against the idea to write another examination at the cost of GH¢220.00 before being posted by GES.

They demonstrated, petitioned NTC and the Ministry of Education (MoE) over what they described as unfair treatment, punishment, wickedness etc. meted to them.

They also indicated that, the University of Cape Coast, Institute of Education has conducted numerous examinations which made them fit as professional teachers to teach in the Ghanaian classroom. The teachers tried all means not to write the examination but were forced by NTC, MoE etc. to write the examination.

After the examination, a section of teachers who wrote the examination failed, resat and failed again due to the frustration they went through.

The failure rates of Prospective Teachers in the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination are still on the rise as many people, including the candidates expressed shocked in the outcome of the examination.

The decision by the former president to cancel the GTLE for teachers seems to be a laudable call for teachers and prospective teachers across the country.

Thousands of Ghanaian teachers and trainee teachers are hailing him for the decision to cancel the GTLE.

In the recent times, the National Teaching Council faces series of public disagreement from in-service teachers and leadership of some major teacher unions on the decision for a teacher to pay an amount of Gh¢220.00 for the GTLE.

The GTLE seems to teachers and trainee teachers as a punishment where some are advocating for its abolishment.

Meanwhile, Mr. Christian Addai-Poku – the Registrar of the National Teaching Council hinted that, about 25% of 2019 trained teachers who sat for the recent GTLE failed and are not qualified to teach in the classroom.

Over 21% of the candidates failed the 2020 Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination.

Over 83% of the candidates failed the Licensure Examination in 2023.

Do you agree with the former president on his decision to cancel the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination for teachers, meanwhile licensing of teachers is explicitly enshrined in the Education Act of 2008 (Act 778)?

Have your say.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh