Teacher Unions Reject 2025 CPD Licensing Policy, Urge Inclusive and Transparent Review.
Teacher Unions Oppose 2025 CPD Licensing Policy, Demand Transparency and Equal Participation
This policy, affecting over 350,000 teachers nationwide, has sparked widespread concern across the education sector for its financial burden, legal ambiguities, and lack of teacher involvement.
What Is CPD and What Has Changed?
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is the ongoing training teachers undertake to improve their skills and keep up with educational standards. Traditionally, CPD programs in Ghana were delivered by the Ghana Education Service (GES) and teacher unions at no cost to teachers.
However, in 2025, the National Teaching Council (NTC) introduced a new licensing system that ties license renewal to mandatory CPD credits. Teachers must accumulate 100 CPD points every three years by attending approved training sessions.
The critical change is that these training sessions are now provided mainly by private, fee-charging organizations accredited by the NTC — forcing teachers to pay between GHS 75 and GHS 150 per session out of pocket.
Why Are Teacher Unions Opposed?
In a joint statement, the unions outlined six core issues with the new CPD licensing system:
1. Lack of Meaningful Consultation: Teachers and their unions were excluded from policy formulation and decisions.
2. Privatization of Teacher Development: Outsourcing CPD to private entities contradicts the principle of free, state-supported professional training.
3. Financial Burden on Teachers: Many teachers, already underpaid, must now pay significant fees to maintain their licenses.
4. Confusing Institutional Roles: Overlaps and contradictions between the roles of NTC, GES, and the Ministry have created bureaucratic confusion.
5. Exclusion of Unions as Providers: Despite having the capacity and historical role, teacher unions have been sidelined as CPD providers.
6. Legal and Ethical Questions: The unions argue that there is no clear legal mandate allowing NTC to impose compulsory, paid CPD through third parties.
The unions describe the current system as rushed and exploitative, amounting to a dereliction of the state’s responsibility to support public teachers.
Powerful Excerpts from the Unions’ Statement
“Professional development is not a commodity to be traded but a right of every teacher supported by the state.”
“No CPD program can be valid unless it addresses the practical needs of teachers in the classroom.”
“The attempt to turn CPD into a private market is unacceptable and must be reversed.”
These words reflect a deep frustration and a clear demand for a fair and transparent process.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
While the Education Regulatory Bodies Act empowers the NTC to regulate teacher standards, it does not explicitly authorize the outsourcing of mandatory CPD to fee-charging private providers without proper legislative backing or GES involvement.
Legal experts suggest this policy may violate Article 190(1) of Ghana’s Constitution, which mandates the state to provide essential training for public servants without commercialization.
Ethically, the question is straightforward: Is it fair to require low-paid teachers to pay for state-mandated training? The unions firmly say no.
Unions’ Demands and Potential Consequences
The unions have called for:
•Immediate suspension of the CPD licensing scheme.
•Recognition of teacher unions as accredited CPD providers.
•Clear legislative guidance defining NTC’s powers.
•State-funded CPD programs delivered by GES and unions.
•Full stakeholder engagement before policy rollout.
They have warned that failure to heed these demands will result in nationwide strikes, legal challenges, and boycotts that could disrupt the entire education system.
Voices from Experts and Civil Society
•Education policy analysts and civil society groups support the unions’ position:
•Dr. Esi K. Awuah: “You cannot reform education without including teachers.”
•SEND Ghana: “This CPD policy, as it stands, is anti-teacher and pro-market.”
•IMANI Africa: “There is urgent need to clarify the legal framework around NTC’s role.”
The Road Ahead
If the Ministry of Education and NTC persist without addressing these concerns, the sector risks:
•Loss of teacher trust in the CPD and licensing systems.
•Interruptions in academic activities due to strikes.
•Legal battles draining resources and goodwill.
•Public disillusionment with education reforms.
Conclusion: Protecting Teacher Rights and Professional Development
The 2025 CPD licensing policy represents a critical moment for Ghana’s education sector. Professional development should be a right supported by the state, not a financial burden or a source of profit for private companies.
Teachers are the backbone of Ghana’s education system. Their voices must be central to any reform affecting their profession.
The Ministry of Education must act swiftly and decisively to create an inclusive, transparent, and fair CPD framework — one that respects teachers and supports their growth without undue cost.
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