Out of 7,728 prospective teachers who sat again for the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) last month, 1,277 passed.

The figure represents 16.5 per cent of the candidates who sat again for the examination, introduced to license teaching practitioners.

A pre-release interview with the Registrar of GTLE, Dr Christian Addai-Poku, indicated that all the candidates had sat for the exam at least twice, with some sitting for as many as nine times.

The results of the examination, which was written last month, will be released at noon today. 

Subject-based

Dr Addai-Poku, who expressed concern about the high failure rate, explained that those affected had one more chance to re-write the exam at the latter part of the year before its format and content changed.

He told the Daily Graphic that those who would fail again would have to go for the revised GTLE, known as the Subject-based GTLE, which would take off later this year.

It would start with fresh teacher trainees, who would be writing the examination for the first time.

Dr Addai-Poku explained that candidates who would fail at their last chance and would want to continue to resit the exam would be those with first degree, saying “those with diploma will be required to upgrade themselves to acquire a first degree before they can resit the exam”.

“We are reforming and restructuring the examination and we will start it this year with those who have qualified to write it for the first time,” he added.

He said unlike the current examination where the candidates were examined in numeracy, literacy and professional skills, this time around, they would have to be examined in a specific area of speciality.

Dr Addai-Poku further explained that a candidate who aspired to teach geography must, in addition to the three areas, be examined in geography.

Licensure exam

The NTC is mandated by Section 9 of the Education Act, 2008 (Act 778) to improve the professional standing and status of teachers, license and register teachers in Ghana. 

The first-ever teacher licensure examination was written in September 2018.

The purpose of the examination is to enable qualified teachers to acquire a professional licence and also attract excellent young graduates from the universities and colleges of education who have the required professional knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to deliver effectively in schools.