Licensure exams: About 26,000 teachers have failed since 2018

A Registrar at the National Teaching Council, Mr Christian Addai-Poku, has hinted that most of the teachers who wrote the teacher licensure exams failed.

According to him, from 2018 when the exams was introduced, over 120,000 teachers had taken part in the exams across the country.

Out of that, he said about 82,000 passed the exams.

Although he did not state specifically the number of teachers who failed the exams, he noted that about 12,000 were awaiting their results, adding that the results of the recent one was not out yet.

The government introduced the teacher licensure examination in 2018, backed by the Education Act of 2008, Act 778, with the first-ever exams taking place in September 2018.

Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie, hosted by Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Christian Addai-Poku said, “Those who do not pass cannot go and teach until they pass. Until you pass, we take it as though you have not completed school so you have to try and pass it.”

Mr Christian Addai-Poku said even those who had first class degree but did not pass the licensure exams will also not be allowed to teach, adding that, "It means their first class is questionable.”

When asked if the licensure exams was introduced to cut down the number of teachers because they were many, he said “No,” adding that the Council wanted to ensure that quality teachers are produced.

However, he said averagely in a year, about 50, 000 people write the teachers licensure exams.

For those who complain that the Council does not help them to gain employment after giving them the license, he said the Council was not responsible for that, but was rather there to ensure that quality teachers are employed to teach.