Don't be scared of licensure exams - NTC tells teachers

The National Teaching Council (NTC) has urged all teachers who will be sitting for the licensure examination to have the courage that they will not fail.

In an interview with Accra FM, the Executive Secretary of NTC, Dr Evelyn Oduro said they will ask the teachers basic questions from their subject areas.

“The teachers won’t fail, I don’t expect them to entertain the fear of failure because the examination will centre on the things they have learned. They shouldn’t entertain the thoughts of failure at all.”

“This is a professional examination, and, so, we will ask basic questions. For instance, if you did science, basic science-related questions will be asked and they can answer,” she added.

After the government announced that teachers will now write licensure exams before they are recruited to teach in public schools, some teacher groups have kicked against it.

On August 28, 2018, a group of teacher trainees August hit the streets in Kumasi to protest against it.

The group argued that the licensure examination is the government’s strategy to reduce the number of teachers it employed. This they said will deny some the teachers their livelihood.

The demonstrators, clad in red bands, carried placards, some of which read: "Where are the learning materials NTC," "Say No to Licence Exams", "We are tired of your empty promises NTC."

But Dr Oduro said the teachers should embrace the examination because it is in their interest.

Meanwhile, the first-ever teacher licensure examination in Ghana will be held from September 10 to 12, 2018 in colleges of education throughout the country.