In big blow to Mahama, GNAT backs licensure exams for teachers

Speaking on Joy FM's Newsfile Saturday, the Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers [GNAT], Mr Daniel Affadu, says it is for the policy.

"Sure we are for the policy," he said in response to a question from show host Evans Mensah. "We will write."

According to him, the concern of teachers has to do with the cost of the exams. He said discussions are still ongoing with the education ministry over that.

He argued that government should foot the bill of the exams since teachers are financially constrained.

“Already there are discussions ongoing about the fees that have to be charged. If it becomes free that will be very fine,” he said.

His comments come after former President John Mahama and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said he will cancel the exams if he is elected president in 2020.

According to the ex-president, the licensure exams is not in the interest of teachers and that he will rather improve on the exams for teachers in the various training colleges.

GNAT backing the lincensure exams is seen as a major boost for the governing New Patriotic Party after the ex-president he has the backing of teachers to cancel the exams.