Teacher licensing law will collapse more ‘private’ schools – GNAPS

Following the introduction of teacher licensing law by the National Teaching Council (NTC) to professionalize the teaching profession in the country, the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) says the law is a threat to the private education sector.

Speaking at a conference, the Acting president of GNAPS, Philip Boakye Yiadom,  said the enforcement of the teacher licensing law to include private school teachers is a calculated attempt by the government to close down majority of private schools.

He noted that most private school teachers are Senior High School (SHS) graduates who may not have the resources required to undertake the course to enable them acquire a teacher’s licence by the National Teaching Council (NTC).

“If I can’t support my teachers who do not have the financial standing to apply for the license, it implies that I would have to allow them to leave my school just to avoid being prosecuted by NTC,” the President of the Association said.

Boakye Yiadom further explained that “If I can’t support my teachers who do not have the financial standing to apply for the license, it implies that I would have to allow them to leave my school just to avoid being prosecuted by NTC

The enforcement of the Act will kill the private schools because if a proprietor can’t get a teacher who is licensed to teach, it will mean that the proprietor will have to close down his school for the fear of prosecution.”

Describing teachers in public schools as permanent workers with high salaries than their colleagues in the private schools, the Association of Private Schools has called on NTC to make the law applicable to government teachers only.

But the Ashanti Regional Director of the National Teaching Council (NTC), James Obeng reacting to GNAPS plea said the enforcement of the Teacher licensing law is taking off and so people who flout the law will be penalised. 

“Now we are moving into the licensing enforcement state and we have already started so anybody who does not have the authorisation (license) to teach. The NTC will deal with that person because the law is clear,” Mr Obeng revealed.