In the 2020 manifesto of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC)
Dubbed, the ‘People’s Manifesto: Jobs, Prosperity and more, the policy document seeks to present approaches to address the economic and social needs of Ghanaians. In the education sector generally, the NDC promised to terminate the graduate teacher license examinations and restore automatic employment of newly trained teachers if they gain the power of the people come December 7.

When it comes Lawyers, Accountants, nursing, Doctors and other professions it is ok for them to write professional exams before they are given the opportunity to practice their field but when it comes to teachers who are the most powerful human resource in terms to the impaction of knowledge, values, skills and attitudes their professional exams should be cancelled. this is a clear insult to the teaching profession.

The quality of teaching professionals in the educational sector is one of the factors that determine the quality of the students. If there are no qualified and quality professional teachers it will be very difficult for a country to achieve its goals and aspirations both the short term and long term. Because quality education is a key foundation that can project and enhance the growth of all sectors in the economy. If a country has a problem with their quality of education system it will definitively manifest it dirty head in all sectors of the country, hence it is very relevant that the national teaching Council put structures in place to improve the quality of qualified and professional teachers. Production.

Looking through my educational lenses, it will be suicidal to reverse the professionalism of teachers by terminating the teacher licensure examination. If this takes place as written and said in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto, then we will still keep teachers below international standards and practices. Teaching is not only a job but a profession just like lawyers and accountants, therefore there is a need treat and respect it as such. A pragmatic effort, policies and initiatives must be implemented to bring teachers at parity with their counterparts elsewhere in other countries.

Importance of the teacher licensure examination

Backed by law

The national teaching council is mandated by the educational Act of 2008 (Act 778), section 9 to improve the professional standing and status of teachers and to ensure the licensing and registrations of teachers in Ghana.

The purpose of the teacher licensing examinations is to enable qualified teachers to acquire a professional license and also prepare teachers to meet demands of national teachers’ possessing the minimum knowledge, skills, values and attitudes necessary to deliver effectively in schools.

Improve the standards of teachers to meet international requirements
Globally, Teachers all over the world especially the developed countries have particular standards and values in the teaching profession, such as attaining or acquiring of legal license before they can execute their professional mandated as teachers. In our part of our world, it is difficult for teachers to receive recognition. Teachers in our country also deserve to be proud of their profession as well as meet international canons.

Licensures of teachers examination to also ensure the qualified and quality production of teachers as well as to enhance their knowledge and skills. This in the long term can help teachers to improve upon their delivery or functions as teachers because, during exam, it is a form of test to assess their fitness as expected of them.

Recommendations

There are many challenges when it comes to the graduate teachers licensing examinations, below are key suggestions and recommendations.

Improve on the standards of the examination

The license exams should categorically state the number of courses that every teacher mandated and required to complete before successful attainment of license.it is also crucial that the result from the licensure exams should be critically examined and analyzed for the purpose of professional development courses. evaluations and rigorous assessment, effective and strict supervision of the teacher’s performance to ensure teacher effectiveness and performance.

Provision of resources

Government should provide the requisite human resources, financial resources, infrastructural resources that can enhance the training and preparations for the teacher licenses examination. especially with the human resource aspect, qualified and professional personnel should be provided to take charge of the teacher licenses professionalism examinations.

Widen the scope and extend its years of training

The national teaching council should not just be only interested in administering or conducting examinations for graduates’ teachers and be qualified to practices teaching but they should ensure pragmatic measures are put in place for adequate training for the graduate teachers before they undertake the examinations. It very crucial also that the NTC widen their scope by ensuring that teachers from the basic to the tertiary institutions also take part of the licensing examinations in order to strengthen teacher’s delivery at all cycle of the educational system. Government should create room for international or foreign teachers from other countries who want teach especially language teachers to participate in the examinations.

There is also the need to trained and examine teachers base their field in which they will be teaching. The exams should not just be about only numerical skills, literacy and general knowledge about the teacher. It should widen it scope the legal aspect of the educations as well as focus on the need of their teacher depending on the specific subjects he or she will be teaching. Form the above discussion, if the teacher license examination should be cancelled it will be an insult to the profession