Suspend proposed teacher licensing exam – GNAT tells NTC

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has called on the National Teaching Council (NTC) to suspend the implementation of the proposed licensing examination for teachers.

“We are very disappointed with the actions of the NTC since they went behind this arrangement to issue a letter indicating the writing of the examination and the fees of (GHC 220.00),” it added.

GNAT was reacting to media reports that the NTC has issued the fees to be charged by the NTC for the licensing examination.

GNAT, therefore, urged the NTC “to suspend the implementation of the examination fees to be charged pending the outcome of the stakeholder meeting with the Hon. Minister of Education.”

“At a meeting with the NTC on May 29th, 2018, the Unions were promised that the documents will be sent to us by NTC through the Director General of the Ghana Education Service, for our study and inputs. Unfortunately, as at the release of this press statement, no document has been received by the Unions as promised; for us to make the necessary input”

GNAT has also called on the Minister of Education to convene an immediate stakeholder meeting to discuss and resolve outstanding issues.

Background

In 2017, the NTC indicated that teachers will now have to pass a special examination before they are granted the license to teach.

The NTC explained that this is to ensure discipline among teachers and also eliminate non-performing teachers from the system, in pursuance of the Teachers Licensing Policy under the Education Act 778 (2008).

The then Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service, Rev. Johnathan Bettey, disclosed that teachers who will fail the exams will not qualify as professional teachers.

Read the press statement below