Abolish Teacher Licensure Exams by August 30 – Education Minister tells NTC

By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH

The Minister of Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, has instructed the National Teaching Council (NTC) to abolish the Teacher Licensure Examinations by August 30, 2025.

Mr. Iddrisu gave the instructions during the inauguration of the new governing board of the NTC on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

The Education Minister explained that the decision is part of broader reforms aimed at introducing a new framework for assessing teacher qualifications.

This new approach, according to him, will place greater emphasis on academic training and practical fieldwork, moving away from a reliance on standardised examinations.

Mr. Iddrisu also announced a final window of opportunity for candidates who have previously failed the licensure exams to re-sit them before the phase-out takes full effect.

“The last of the Teacher Licensure Exams must be concluded not later than August 30. If there is a final opportunity for those who sat and couldn’t make it, that process should not go beyond August 30,” he emphasised.

The Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE), introduced by the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2018, is conducted by the National Teaching Council (NTC), which was established to ensure that prospective teachers meet the professional standards required within Ghana’s education sector.

This examination served as a critical assessment of candidates’ knowledge, skills, values, and pedagogical practices deemed essential for effective teaching.

The GTLE typically comprised three main papers: General Professional Knowledge (covering numeracy, literacy, and essential professional skills), Grade-level Specialism Pedagogy (tailored to the candidate’s specialization, such as Early Grade, Primary, JHS, SHS, or Technical Vocational Schools), and Content Knowledge (either Multiple Subjects for Early Grade/Primary or Single Subject for JHS, SHS, or TVET teachers).