By Jeremiah Nutsugah
Former Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Charles Aheto Tsegah, has provided clarification, stating that teacher licensure exams are not conducted for recertification purposes but rather to grant recognition, allowing individuals to be reconsidered as teachers.
During a phone interview on GTV’s Breakfast show on November 20, 2023, the former Director-General underscored that the licensure exams, which the former president plans to eliminate if re-elected, serve as certification exams offering tangible proof of one’s status as a genuine educator. These exams assess essential aspects such as numeracy, literacy, and critical skills.
“The examination is concrete evidence of being a bona fide teacher; that’s why it takes place. It scrutinizes critical elements related to teaching, including numeracy skills, literacy skills, and critical skills. We evaluate all these aspects to ensure that teachers demonstrate proficiency in their profession.”
Addressing the query of why teachers must take licensure exams after passing their initial assessments, he clarified that these exams function as post-certification assessments, continuously determining and validating teachers’ skills.
“For those who did not take the licensure exams initially, now is the ideal opportunity to implement measures ensuring we have the right teachers in schools. Aspiring teachers must undergo primary education and acquire the necessary professional skills.”
