Two weekends, two election manifestos launched! The primary to launch their manifesto, was the New Patriotic Get together (NPP) at Ghana Secondary Technical College (GSTS), in Takoradi on Sunday, August 18, 2024.
Barely per week after, on Saturday, August 24, 2024, the Nationwide Democratic Congress (NDC) additionally launched its manifesto on the College of Winneba, Winneba.
As a trainer, a senior tutorial and an training chief and supervisor, I used to be within the plans every occasion had laid out for the private {and professional} improvement of academics significantly on the pre-tertiary training degree, primarily as a result of, trainer high quality makes the most important distinction in scholar achievement.
Among the many numerous insurance policies for academics, my consideration was drawn to trainer licensure examinations.
Whereas the NPP firmly assures that they’ll deliver enhancements within the present trainer licensure system, the NDC appears decided to de-professionalise academics by insisting that they’ll cancel the trainer licensure examinations.
Former President John Mahama has certainly been very according to this view of cancellation of the trainer licensure examinations over the past 5 years and appears decided to hold his place by way of if he comes again to energy.
On December 24, 2019, the Each day Graphic on-line, reported Former President Mahama’s place below the banner: “I’ll cancel licensure examinations for trainer – Mahama” saying his authorities will abolish the licensure examination for academics if elected as President within the 2020 polls.
Additionally talking at Wenchi within the Bono Area as a part of his Constructing Ghana Tour he reiterated his stand as reported in a Citi Newsroom (CNR) information story of November 17, 2023, entitled: “Licensure exams unnecessary; I’ll cancel it if I develop into president – Mahama”.
Complaints
The insistence of Former President Mahama and the NDC to cancel the trainer licensure is a results of current complaints by candidates who trailed papers within the licensure examinations.
This sadly isn’t a cogent purpose to cancel the licensure examinations and de-professionalise academics.
In all professions, candidates who want to develop into members are examined by these already within the career normally after completion of designated formal tutorial coaching in a recognised establishment of upper training.
Amongst different necessities, professionals are anticipated to take care of their membership by frequently updating their information by way of Steady Skilled Improvement (CPD).
Individuals who need to develop into Legal professionals pursue a legislation levels – common for 4 years – in a tertiary establishment. Subsequently, they enrol in skilled legislation faculty for a minimum of two years and undergo different rudiments earlier than they’re licensed and permitted to make use of the title Esquire (Esq.) and to apply in a given jurisdiction.
To develop into a Pharmacist, one is predicted to undergo six years of educational and sensible coaching, and write and go numerous examinations earlier than they’re permitted to register and write the skilled examinations. Certified Pharmacists now use the title Dr. (Pharm).
Different professionals corresponding to Engineers use the title ‘Ing’, solely after the profitable completion of their tutorial and sensible coaching and passing the specified skilled qualifying examinations.
Equally, Architects, are permitted to make use of the ‘Arc’ title and Surveyors, use ‘Surv’., whereas Medical Officers use Doc or Dr. (Medical).
Educating has all the time been a career and shares virtually all of the tenets of a career together with acquiring a licence to apply and utilizing the title “Certified Instructor Standing” (QTS).
As early because the 1500s a schoolmaster wanted to be licensed by the church to show grammar in England.
As is the case with all skilled examinations, not all who write can undergo efficiently. Candidates who path are given a selected variety of instances relying on the career, to redeem themselves and be admitted as members.
It beats one’s creativeness that in these present instances, the place just about each vocation and occupation is striving to be recognised as a career, the NDC is proposing to de-professionalise educating as a result of there are complaints about trials within the licensure examination.
College of Melbourne Professor George Beaton’s view that “Professionalism is as, maybe much more, related right now because it was when the idea first emerged centuries in the past… now covers many extra disciplines than the unique professions …”, may be very instructive.
Implications
Any try and cancel the trainer licensure or debase it will have dire penalties for the career because the licensure examination, is a part of a complete trainer professionalisation bundle.
The bundle consists of Skilled Studying Communities (PLC), Skilled Improvement Days (PDD), Steady Skilled Improvement (CPD), programmes and the cost of Skilled Improvement Allowance (PDA).
The PLC idea, which works completely in most professions, significantly in medication, was launched into the tutorial sector by the NPP Vice Presidential candidate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) a medical officer, when he was the Minister for Schooling.
The PLC is a system the place members of a career meet periodically to do peer studying and supply skilled help to one another.
Dr Opoku Prempeh additionally received the federal government to introduce PDA, which pays GH¢1,200.00 and GH¢800.00 yearly, to skilled and non-professional academics respectively, to help their CPD programmes.
Any proposal to cancel the trainer licensure examinations then, may then result in the cancellation of the cost of PDA and subsequently stoppage of PLC, PDD, and CPD.
This yr, the trainer unions have negotiated with the federal government for a rise, skilled academics will obtain GH¢2,400.00, whereas non-professional academics obtain GH¢1,200.00 yearly.
Solution to go
The best way to go then is to not cancel the trainer licensure examinations, however as advised by the NPP manifesto, to realign the construction and timing of the licensure exams and the tutorial calendar of College Faculties by integrating the licensure examinations as a part of the trainer coaching programme.
The proposals to permit the Nationwide Educating Council (NTC) to open an extra examination window for people who don’t go their licensure examination at their trainer training establishments to retake it, with no restrict on the variety of makes an attempt, and to allow using “Certified Instructor Standing” (QTS) are additionally commendable.