What You Need to Know about the Law Governing Teacher Licensing in Ghana

What You Need to Know about the Law Governing Teacher Licensing in Ghana.

The Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eighth (778) Act of Ghana was entitled Education Act, 2008.

It was an act meant to provide for the establishment of an educational system intended to produce well-balanced individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills, values, aptitudes and attitudes to become functional and productive citizens for the total development and the democratic advancement of the nation, and for related matters.

It was assented on the 6th of January, 2009 and enacted by the President and Parliament.

It established the National Inspectorate Board (NIB), The National Teaching Council (NTC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) which report directly to the minister and not to GES.

NTC is a major advisory body to the Minister of Education on matters relating to the professional standing and the status of teachers and the provision of facilities for in-service training, and the employment of teachers.
The Council is made of sixteen (16) members including two (2) representatives of Teachers Association. The Council members are however appointive by the President.

NTC is the governing authority responsible for matters relating to the licensing of teachers.

12(5) That a teacher’s license is only legal authorization for teaching.

12(7) That the legal possession of the Council’s certificate signifies that the teacher meets the knowledge and skills standards prescribed by the NTC.

13(2) That a person desiring to be registered as a teacher shall submit for approval by the Council an application in the prescribed form.

13(4d) That if that person has not passed the requisite teacher certification examination recognized by the council and does not satisfy the standards required for a teacher’s license at the level which that person has applied for certification to teach.

The Act, however, concluded with some repeals, savings and transitional provisions.

31(4) Until arrangements are made for licensing and registration of persons who are not professionally qualified as teachers, those persons shall be certified by the Council to teach.

13(5) All certified teachers in the educational system before the coming into force of this Act, shall be recognized as teachers and shall be consulted by the Council to teach until otherwise directed by the Council.

A recent presentation done by the Acting Executive Director of NTC, Dr. Mrs. Evelyn Oduro at the University of Cape Coast reveals the following:

1. That licensing and registration start with the teacher training institutions. Trainees after completion will be inducted and issued with a provisional license before full licensing. A teacher is supposed to renew his license.

2. Licensing of teachers in five pilot districts starting by September 2017.

3. Issuing of provisional license to all current final year students upon successful completion of institutional program by October, 2017.

4. Issuing of full license to provisional license teachers (newly trained) upon passing PROFICIENCY TEST by August, 2018.
(Note: All these processes are piloting)

5. Issuing of provisional license to every teacher Ghana starting from October, 2018.
It is from here that teachers are expected to take PROFICIENCY TEST before giving full license.
(This is not an examination, it could be interview or skills and knowledge test)

The overview of the program is as follows:

Phase I – Preparation, Buy-in and Sensitization.

Phase II – Begins with the registration and licensing in Pilot Districts (Starting with the newly trained teachers)

As it stands sensitization is ongoing and the piloting will begin as soon as the the trainees come out.

Phase III – Launching and Implementation

Phase IV – Evaluation by September 2019.