Licensure exams not meant to frustrate teachers – Akufo Addo

President Akufo Addo has said the Teachers licensure examination being implemented by the National Teaching Council is not to put any impediment in the way of teachers.

Speaking at the investiture of the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Afful Broni on Monday, President Akufo Addo said the exams is to ensure that the country has best of teachers in the educational sector.

“This policy is not intended to put any impediment in the way of our teachers from the Colleges of Education and other tertiary institutions. On the contrary, it is meant to enhance professionalism in teaching and guarantee that our teachers meet a minimum qualification through an independent examination to be able to teach in our classrooms. If education is important to us, then it requires that we maintain the best standards.”

Trainee teachers wrote the examination across the country last week.

Earlier, there had been heightened tension among some teachers over the examination. One of the aggrieved groups, the newly trained teachers had demanded an outright suspension of the exams claiming that reading materials and reference had not been available.

Some Teacher Trainees indicated they’ll boycott the impending Licensing exams.

But the Ministry of Education resolved to proceed with the exams as scheduled after a meeting with leaders of aggrieved teacher unions.