Teacher Licensure Exams: Sammy Gyamfi Defends Mahama’s Pledge to Abolish, Citing Government’s Suppression Tactics

 Teacher Licensure Exams: NDC Communications Officer accuses Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government of limiting teacher recruitment through dubious Teacher licensure exams.

In a staunch defense of former President John Mahama’s promise to eliminate Teacher Licensure Exams (TLEs) if elected in 2024, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi accuses the current administration of employing the exams as a means to suppress teacher recruitment.

The controversial pledge, made during Mahama’s recent ‘Building Ghana Tour,’ has sparked criticism from the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), who argue for the exams’ importance in maintaining education standards.

Gyamfi, in a comprehensive statement, challenges the necessity of Teacher Licensure Exams for teacher trainees who have already undergone a rigorous four-year Bachelor of Education program. He emphasizes that trainees undergo at least fifty courses and eight semesters of intensive study, culminating in a mandatory full-semester internship.

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Describing the Teacher Licensure Exams as a “dubious ploy,” Gyamfi contends that the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government employs the exams to curtail teacher recruitment due to financial constraints. He points to the plight of qualified teacher trainees who, upon failing the exams, face unemployment and resort to bribery for licenses.

Sammy Gyamfi raises concerns about the lack of transparency in the marking scheme and alleges arbitrary adjustments of pass marks to meet government hiring needs. He highlights the challenges faced by even successful candidates, who often experience delays in employment.

Reaffirming Mahama’s commitment to education, Gyamfi outlines the NDC’s plan to enhance pre-certification education standards and examinations in Colleges of Education. The aim is to ensure quality without imposing unnecessary barriers to employment.

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In the full statement, Gyamfi asserts that the NDC supports the licensing and registration of teachers as mandated by the Education Act (ACT 778), 2008, but vehemently opposes the use of a needless Licensure Exam as a precondition for licensing teachers.

He concludes by affirming Mahama’s promise to abolish what he deems an “obnoxious” Teachers’ Licensure Examination if elected in 2024, emphasizing the NDC’s commitment to automatically licensing and employing teacher trainees after completing their four-year programs.

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