A recent announcement by the National Teacher Council has indicated that only 1,277 out of 7,728 candidates managed to pass the licensure exams for teachers. Expressing his disappointment in an interview, the Public Relations Officer for the National Teacher Council, Dennis Osei-Owusu, Mr. Osei-Owusu expressed concerns about the quality of teachers entrusted with educating the next generation of leaders.
Of the candidates who took the exams, it was revealed that they were all re-sitters, attempting the test for the second or even ninth time. Osei-Owusu highlighted this issue, stating, “These are the group of people who sat for the exams. Only 1,277 passed the exams, they are the only people who passed and don’t have a deficit again. 16.5% of them passed the exams.”
Osei-Owusu further emphasized the gravity of the situation, referring to it as a national security threat. He criticized some of the answers given by the candidates, questioning the adequacy of their training in various institutions before becoming teachers. He went on to suggest that many of them appeared ill-prepared for the role and were merely attempting to exploit the system.
Despite the disappointing results, Osei-Owusu provided a glimmer of hope for the unsuccessful candidates, explaining that they would be given an opportunity to retake the exam. The National Teacher Council plans to introduce reforms in the examination process to address the situation. Osei-Owusu stated, “They still have the opportunity to write once more. We have introduced a reform, where the nature of the exams is going to change. And so, they are doing the last one, they are going to be given a last opportunity to write if they are not able to make it, then they have to join the reform and pick the exams again.”
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He further clarified that only teachers with bachelor’s degrees would be eligible for the reform. Those without a bachelor’s degree would need to acquire one before participating in the revised examination. This decision was made to ensure that teachers meet the required qualifications for effective instruction.
The teacher licensure examination was first introduced on September 10, 2018, with over 28,000 newly trained teachers participating. Out of the total of 28,757 candidates, 21,287 (74%) successfully passed the initial examination, while 7,432 did not meet the required standards. The aim of the examination was to enhance the quality of teaching by ensuring that only qualified teachers were employed in the education sector.
The results of the 2023 licensure exams have highlighted the pressing need for improvements in teacher training and evaluation. The National Teacher Council intends to address these concerns through reforms, ensuring that future generations receive the quality education they deserve.