Abolishing teacher licensure exams will be a disaster—Eduwatch

Abolishing teacher licensure exams will be a disaster—Eduwatch

Calls to scrap the Teacher Licensure Examination have resurfaced in Ghana's education policy space, triggering widespread debate among stakeholders. At the centre of this conversation is a firm caution from the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, who warns that removing the exam would be a grave mistake with long-term implications for teacher quality and learning outcomes.

Mr. Asare maintains that the licensure exam plays an essential role in safeguarding standards within the country’s education system. According to him, the exam acts as a necessary filter to ensure that only candidates with the requisite knowledge, skills, and communication ability are granted the opportunity to teach in Ghana’s classrooms. Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV, he described the exam as a non-negotiable quality assurance tool that must not be compromised under the guise of reform.

The concern follows a directive by the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, asking the National Teaching Council (NTC) to conduct what he referred to as a “final” teacher licensure examination by the end of August 2025. Though intended as part of an ongoing reform process, the phrasing has raised fears among teacher unions and civil society groups that the exam could be discontinued altogether. Mr. Asare, however, insists that while reforms are welcome, any attempt to abolish the exam entirely would be detrimental to the future of basic education.

Citing his personal review of scripts from some unsuccessful candidates, Mr. Asare expressed deep concern over the quality of responses submitted by individuals who had completed teacher training programmes. He argued that eliminating the licensure exam would create room for such underprepared individuals to enter the classroom, thereby lowering the standard of instruction and endangering pupils’ academic progress. For him, the situation reveals not just weaknesses in initial teacher training but also the crucial role an external assessment plays in protecting the integrity of the teaching profession.

Equally important, Mr. Asare emphasized that the licensure process must remain under the control of an independent body such as the NTC. Handing over the exam to training institutions or making it an internal university requirement, he argued, would compromise objectivity and remove the impartiality needed to ensure rigorous assessment. In his view, the credibility of the exam hinges on its independence and its function as a national gatekeeper for the profession.

As the debate continues, stakeholders are being reminded that the issue is not about resisting change but about managing it responsibly. Reforms that enhance the fairness, accessibility, and relevance of the licensure exam are both necessary and timely. However, these reforms must not come at the cost of removing the very mechanisms designed to uphold quality in the classroom.

Ultimately, the teacher licensure examination serves as a public assurance that learners are being taught by professionals who meet national standards. With growing demand for improved learning outcomes across all levels, maintaining such a measure is not only prudent but vital. The education sector’s progress depends on a qualified and competent teaching force, and that begins with a licensing system that works. Discarding it would do more harm than good.