Former Education Minister and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has urged the government to reconsider its decision to abolish the Teacher Licensure Examination, warning that such a move could erode professional standards in Ghana’s education sector.

In an interview with Channel One News, Dr. Adutwum underscored the licensure system’s critical role in validating the competence of teachers, particularly those seeking international opportunities.

“The NDC piloted the Teacher Licensure Exams before we took over and made it a transitional scale programme. They are in power now and have the authority to change it, but this is between them and the good people of Ghana,” he said.

Dr. Adutwum emphasized the value of licensure in boosting the professional mobility of Ghanaian educators.

“I am not advocating for teachers to leave the country, but with a license, a teacher could go to the UK and step into a classroom to teach,” he added.

Rather than abolishing the exams entirely, he proposed reforming aspects such as the timing of the assessments to better serve teacher trainees and the education system.

Meanwhile, the current Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that the National Teaching Council (NTC) will conduct a final resit of the existing licensure exams for eligible candidates before the August 30 deadline.

Mr. Iddrisu explained that the planned phase-out is part of a broader strategy to introduce a new assessment system for teacher qualification. He assured stakeholders that the incoming framework would maintain the standards and rigour expected of the teaching profession.

“We are committed to a system that ensures teachers are not only qualified but meet the expectations of a 21st-century classroom,” the minister noted.

The impending reforms have sparked debate among education stakeholders, with many awaiting further details on the new model and its potential impact on teacher quality and employment.