Education Ministry Directs NTC to Scrap Teacher Licensure By...
Education Ministry Directs NTC to Scrap Teacher Licensure By August, 2025.
This decision, announced by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to evaluating teacher qualifications in the country.
Speaking during the inauguration of a new governing board for the NTC on July 15, the Minister outlined the Ministry’s plans to introduce a new framework that will emphasise academic training and practical fieldwork, rather than a centralised examination system.
He noted that the current system, which requires graduates of teacher education programmes to pass a licensure exam in order to be recognised as professional teachers, will be phased out completely by August 30, 2025.
“The last of the Teacher Licensure Exams must be concluded not later than August 30,” the Minister stressed. “If there is a final opportunity for those who sat and couldn’t make it, that process should not go beyond August 30.”
A Transition Period for Unsuccessful Candidates
As part of the transition, a final window has been granted for candidates who have previously failed the exam to re-sit before the process is officially discontinued. This provision is intended to ensure that individuals who are already within the system are not left disadvantaged as the reforms take effect.
In April this year, the Minister commissioned a committee under the NTC to develop a new framework for teacher assessment. These reforms aim to shift focus from licensure testing to a more comprehensive evaluation of teacher readiness, incorporating both academic performance and on-the-ground teaching experience.
Background on the Licensure Exam
The Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination was first introduced in 2018, following the enactment of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020 (Act 1023), which mandates the NTC to conduct such assessments. Since its inception, the licensure exams have faced challenges, including widespread failures. In one notable instance in 2023, over 9,500 out of 20,181 candidates did not meet the pass mark.
To accommodate struggling candidates, the NTC later granted three opportunities for candidates to pass. In addition, approximately 30,000 non-professional teachers were asked to regularise their status by the end of 2024.
However, the licensure programme has remained controversial, with critics, including now-President John Dramani Mahama, consistently calling for its cancellation. Mahama has long argued that the exam is redundant, given the various assessments teacher trainees already undergo during their education.
Related Developments
The Ghana Education Service (GES), in recent reforms, introduced a self-placement system for newly qualified teachers. This platform enables successful licensure exam candidates to apply for teaching positions, with over 20,000 applicants recorded in 2024 and 12,720 receiving placements in the initial phase.
While the NTC and GES have yet to provide an official update on how this directive will impact existing structures, the Ministry’s announcement signals a transformative step in how the teaching profession is regulated and recognised in the country.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Ministry rolls out its new teacher qualification framework in the months ahead.
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