The National Teaching Council (NTC) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) have announced an initiative aimed at regularizing the professional status of non-professional teachers working in basic and second-cycle institutions. This effort is targeted at teachers employed before September 2018, providing them with a unique opportunity to obtain the necessary teaching registration and licensing.
In a letter dated July 26, 2022, the NTC extended a special dispensation to in-service non-professional teachers, allowing them to undergo an exemption exercise to secure the full license granted to professional teachers. This exemption period is set to conclude by December 2024.
The NTC’s compliance checks in senior high schools across six regions have highlighted a need for this initiative. The data revealed that 7,100 teachers in these regions do not possess the appropriate credentials to be in the classroom.
It is estimated that around 30,000 such teachers are currently employed by the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana TVET Service. These teachers, having been employed before the implementation of the licensure regime in 2018, require support to obtain the credentials necessary for permanent registration and licensing.
According to Section 67(1) of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act (2020), Act 1023, “A person shall not practice as a teacher unless the person is registered as a teacher in accordance with this Act.” Therefore, immediate steps are essential to ensure compliance among these teachers.
To address this, the NTC plans to deploy a special dispensation to register and license all non-professional in-service teachers in the country. These teachers are categorized as follows:
- Bachelor’s degree holders
- Non-bachelor’s degree certificate holders (HND, Diploma, WASSCE, SSCE, O’/A’ Level, NAPTEX, MSLC, etc.)
The training arrangements are as follows:
- Bachelor’s Degree Holders: These individuals are required to enroll in a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) program at an accredited teacher education university. Upon successfully completing this 16-week fast-track program, they will be issued a teacher’s registration and license. This program is exclusively for those who were teachers before September 30, 2018.
- Non-Bachelor’s Degree Certificate Holders: These individuals must attend a one-week training (Boot Camp) at designated institutions. Successful completion of this training will result in permanent registration. This program is also exclusively for those who were teachers before September 30, 2018.
Participants in these programs will not be required to write the licensure examination, as this is part of the transitional arrangements for teachers employed by the Ghana Education Service before the introduction of the licensure examination in 2018.
Detailed arrangements, including fees, will be communicated in due course. Non-professional in-service teachers are required to provide their details through the following link: ntc.gov.gh/dnpt.
This initiative represents a step towards ensuring that all teachers in Ghana meet the required professional standards, thereby enhancing the quality of education across the nation.
Published By: Justice Donkoh | GESHub.org
