Claims making waves in the media space that John Mahama will cancel licensing of teachers false.
Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, has stated that Former President John Dramani Mahama said he would cancel teacher licensing if he becomes President. The MP for Old Tafo made the claim when he appeared on TV3’s The New Day programme on November 22, 2023.
The former PRO at the Ministry of Education argued that the teacher licensure regime was implemented during Mahama’s administration and couldn’t figure out why he now championed for its removal.
“In 2016, it was John Mahama who was the President of Ghana who said new teacher licensing was about starting. Today, just this week, I am hearing His Excellency John Mahama now telling the people of Ghana that he is going to cancel the teacher licensing regime,” the MP said.
As part of his Building Ghana Tour, the Former President engaged students and staff of St Joseph College of Education in Bechem in the Brong Ahafo Region where he stated that he was going to cancel the teacher licensure exams and NOT the licensing of teachers when he becomes president of Ghana. It was a response to a question asked by the President of the Students Representative Council (SRC), Gabriel Krah.
“So, we are not saying teachers should not have a license to teach. They should but it should not be necessary to let them write exams in the first year, write exams in the second year, write exams in the third year write final exams in the fourth year, come out to do national service, and then come and write licensure exams again. That is all we are saying,” Mr Mahama stated.
He continued, “So, it is not a force. We are different political parties, we are saying that if we come, we will remove the licensure exams. If they will maintain it, they should come and say we will maintain licensure exams, that is all. What we will do is that, the licensing process will be part of your qualification and completion of your college of education. The ones who will be required to write the licensure exam are the non-professional teachers who want to join the teaching profession and so if you just did a first degree and you want to become a teacher but you did not attend the college of education where you are thought pedagogy then we require that you write a licensure exam to be licensed to be a teacher. And as a teacher, you will be required to participate in professional orientation, assessment, and all that. If it is found out that you are not pulling your weight, your license can be withdrawn. But we are not going to let you write a separate exam after you have finished college of education. That is all we are saying,” The flagbearer of the NDC stated.
Political Fact Ghana can confirm from the above that Former President Mahama never said he will cancel licensing of teachers.