The National Council of Private School Teachers (N-COPST) has issued a release addressing the limitations imposed on the use of Temporary Licenses that non-professional teachers hold and the need for further education.
Limitations of Temporary License:
The Temporary License that non-professional teachers possess is renewable every year for two years only; after three years, it will no longer be valid.
By 2026, non-professional teachers in Ghana will not be allowed to practice the teaching profession with their license. Therefore, there is an urgent need for non-professional teachers to enroll in Colleges of Education or Universities to pursue Education Programs.
Partnership for Further Education:
To support non-professional teachers, N-COPST has collaborated with two prestigious universities.
These universities will offer private school teachers an affordable and flexible payment plan to further their education. Teachers can enroll to obtain a B.Ed., PGDE, M.Ed., MPhil, and PhD degrees to continue their teaching career.
Requirements for Eligibility:
The council is urging heads of private schools to prepare a list of interested non-professional teachers. The list should include teachers’ names, highest qualifications, contacts, district, town, and region.
Only teachers who possess a certificate in education or those with qualifications from Montessori, NNTTC, A & O Level, NVTI, BECE, and JSS are eligible to apply for a Temporary Teacher License.
However, those without these qualifications can pursue a three-month certificate program in education to qualify them to apply for the Temporary Teacher License.
Degree Programs for Different Qualifications:
Teachers with SSSCE/WASSCE will be enrolled in a four-year degree program, whereas those who have a degree in non-educational fields will be enrolled in a PGDE.
Diploma in education holders can pursue a one-year degree program, and those with B.Ed. degrees can choose to pursue either a one-year M.Ed. or a two-year MPhil program.
Support for Non-Professional Teachers:
According to the council, they have made provisions for study centers and financial support for non-professional teachers who choose to embark on further education.
Submission of List:
Heads of Private schools are requested to submit the list of non-professional teachers interested in the offer to N-COPST via email (ncopstgh@gmail.com) or WhatsApp (0245219037) through their Secretariat before the deadline of 30th June 2023.