Licensure exam a tactic to reduce teachers recruitment – NAGRAT

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) after the majority of candidates who sat for the teacher licensure examination (GTLE) failed says the teachers’ test is a ploy to reduce teachers recruitment in the public sector.

President of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonu, expressing concerns over the mass failure said the government not considering those who could not pass the exams for employment indicates the GTLE is not in the interest of teachers.

He noted the decision to license all teachers in the country to promote teacher professionalism is a step in the right direction but conducting a national teacher licensure examination to recruit only those who will pass is unfair.

“We the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) agree that a teacher should be licensed to teach but we disagree that a teacher should write a licensure examination before he or she is licensed,” NAGRAT’s Carbonu stated.

The President in an interview monitored by AcademicWeek continued that “NAGRAT believes that the NTC Ghana teacher licensure examination (GTLE) was introduced to reduce the take of teachers in the public service.

But, the Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Education (MoE), Mr Kwasi Kwarteng responding to the Association of Teachers allegation stated the central government is committed to making the teaching profession a lucrative job.

“Licensing examinations all over the world are designed to identify persons who possess the minimum knowledge, experience and skill necessary to perform tasks on a specific job safely and competently,” Mr Kwarteng said.

According to him, the aim of the licensure examination administered by the National Teaching Council is to select graduate teachers who qualify to teach in the classroom, hence teachers who fail GTLE will not be allowed to teach.

“The National Teaching Council in September this year will administer the second phase of the licensure examination, we urge all failed teachers to participate and pass to qualify for recruitment,” the MoE official told graduate teachers.