Ranking member of parliament’s education committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, has commended the promise by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, to discontinue the teacher licensure examination when elected.
According to him, the minority will support some form of exam to qualify teachers to teach, but not in the shape and form Ghana has it now with the teacher licensure exam.
He revealed that the plan John Mahama to discontinue teacher licensure exams once he wins power is a step in the right direction.
“So, for us as the minority, we are of the view that this current assessment is not the best and we have different pathways that we can use to license a teacher, not necessarily sitting down for three-hour paper and if the person does not do well, he is said to have failed as a teacher and he cannot practice as a teacher. For us, that is what we depart from the implementation of the Act.”
Peter Nortsu-Kotoe
Mr Notsu-Kotoe explained that considering the education body regulatory Act of 2020, Act 10(23), the National Teaching Council is mandated to conduct or award licenses to teachers so that they can operate as teachers.
However, he stated that the Council’s decision to use the examination model is where the minority departs from the current administration of licensure examination.
“You cannot use two- or three-hours paper to license a teacher. A teacher all over the years has undergone various forms of teacher education… So, we can see the changes that have taken over the years and we feel that every teacher has something to offer… A teacher must be prepared, professionally prepared – so we see two things about the teacher.”
Peter Nortsu-Kotoe
Elsewhere, Member of Parliament for Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member on Education Committee of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, revealed that the pledge by John Mahama to review the free senior high school policy and cancel the teacher licensure examination “makes sense”.
He indicated that every stakeholder in education in Ghana is in favor of reviewing the fSHS programme and the cancellation of the Teacher Licensure examination, except for President Akufo-Addo, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Hon. Fordjour and the NPP government.
Dr Apaak explained that the promises made by John Mahama are “commonsensical, justified” and will be implemented when he takes over as President.
“If JM has plans to cancel fSHS he wouldn’t be planning to invite stakeholders to a national forum to discuss fSHS. JM has on several occasions said that fSHS has come to stay. Like most Ghanaians however, he is concerned about the well documented implementation challenges and how to address them to make the fSHS better for national good.”
Dr Clement Apaak
Justifying his stance, Dr Apaak noted that Ghanaians of all walks of life are calling for a review of the fSHS policy, which has been implemented for over six years, and the NDC flagbearer will honour this call because the fSHS programme is challenged by: erratic academic calendar; inadequate and unwholesome food; inadequate academic and residential space; overworked teaching and non-teaching staff amongst others.
“Equally, JM’s proposed forum on fSHS will also consider the role of PTA’s and private secondary schools in the delivery of the policy.”
Dr Clement Apaak
Mahama not opposed to examining teachers
Furthermore, Dr Apaak emphasized that John Mahama is not opposed to examining teachers as a basis of certifying them as professionals. However, he stated that like teacher trainees and stakeholders in teacher training, he is opposed to the current arrangement towards certification.
“His reasonable alternative is to make the examination towards professional certification a final year compulsory course to be written alongside other final year courses.”
Dr Clement Apaak
Moreover, Dr Apaak highlighted that in John Mahama’s variant, when a teacher trainee passes all final year courses, including the course tailored to certify a trainee as a professional teacher, the trainee is given a licence.
He equally stated that if the trainee passes all courses but fails the certification course, he/she doesn’t get a license and would have to re-register the course and write it in his/her college as is the case with final year compulsory courses.
“This mode of teacher certification in addition to JM’s promise to cancel the one-year compulsory national service, which is currently an additional requirement for appointment as a teacher by the Ghana Education Service, has additional advantages. Under JM’s proposal, teacher trainees who pass all courses, including the certification course, are immediately posted to the classroom; no wasting a year doing national service and no need to pay, after national service, to write a licensure examination.”
Dr Clement Apaak
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