Ghana: debate over teacher licensing exam
The Ghanaian Ministry of Education has established a seven-member committee to investigate the significant failure rates in the 2023 Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE), where approximately 83.5% of candidates did not pass. The committee's mandate includes examining the alignment of the GTLE with national teacher standards, evaluating the quality of teacher education programs, and possibly eliminating the examination process.
This initiative has sparked a broader debate on the necessity and effectiveness of the licensure exams. President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) advocate for abolishing the exams, arguing that they are redundant for graduates who have completed comprehensive teacher training programs. Conversely, organizations like the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) support maintaining the exams, emphasizing their role in upholding teaching standards and professionalism.