Former President and flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has stated that he would abolish the teacher licensure exams if he regains the presidency.
This announcement comes as part of his ongoing Building Ghana Tour.
If though the teacher licensure examination was initiated during the Mahama pregnancy, the former President argues that the teacher certification program is unnecessary and should not have been introduced, as teachers already undergo rigorous exams at all stages of their training.
He expressed his disappointment with the current system during a speech in Wenchi, in the Bono Region.
“This is unnecessary. In our next administration, we will cancel the licensure exams,” Mahama confidently announced to the crowd. It should be noted that this is not the first time the former president has made such a promise.
During his 2020 manifesto, Mahama pledged to eliminate the exams, which he believes prevent several qualified teachers from gaining employment with the government.
He further added, “We will abolish the obnoxious licensure exams for teacher trainees and restore the automatic employment of teacher trainee graduates.”
Mahama’s promise has sparked debates among educators and policymakers. Proponents argue that the exams ensure a certain standard of competency among teachers, while opponents believe it is an unnecessary burden on teachers who have already undergone extensive training and evaluation.
The teacher licensure exams were introduced in recent years to validate the competence of newly trained teachers. However, critics have raised concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the exams in evaluating a teacher’s ability to effectively educate students.
As the election season approaches, Mahama’s pledge to eliminate the licensure exams for teachers could potentially influence the votes of educators and other education stakeholders. It remains to be seen whether his promise will resonate with the public and, ultimately, if he will have the opportunity to implement such a change if elected.