The Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) has become a crucial hurdle for anyone aspiring to join the teaching profession in Ghana.
This standardized exam, designed to ensure quality and competency among teachers, requires a solid understanding of not just subject matter, but also pedagogical principles and professional ethics.
One of the most pressing questions on the minds of candidates is: “What’s the magic number? What do I need to score to pass the GTLE?”
This article dives deep into the intricacies of the GTLE pass mark, exploring how it’s determined, its implications for your teaching career, and offering advice on how you can prepare for success.
What is the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE)?
Before we delve into the pass mark, let’s briefly recap what the GTLE entails.
The GTLE is administered by the National Teaching Council (NTC) and is designed to assess the core competencies of prospective teachers.
The Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) consists of three main components:
- General Professional Knowledge: This paper covers essential professional skills, literacy, and numeracy. It includes 90 multiple-choice questions and an essay component on literacy worth 10 marks.
- Pedagogy: Depending on the candidate’s area of specialization (early childhood, primary education, junior high, or senior high education), this paper focuses on pedagogical knowledge. It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions.
- Subject of Specialization: This component is based on the candidate’s specific subject area and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. For candidates specializing in Mathematics, this paper includes 60 multiple-choice questions.
For early childhood and primary education candidates, the “Multiple Subject Content” paper replaces the Subject of Specialization.
This paper covers all subjects taught at the basic level and consists of 100 multiple-choice question.
Successfully passing the GTLE is a mandatory requirement for obtaining a teaching license and legally practicing as a teacher in Ghana, across all levels of education.
SEE ALSO: Structure of The Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE), 2025
The Decision to Lower the Pass Mark
The GTLE was introduced to ensure that teachers entering the profession possess the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver quality education.
Initially, the pass mark was set at 70%, which raised concerns among teacher trainees and education stakeholders.
The Teacher Trainee Association of Ghana (TTAG) played a pivotal role in advocating for a more reasonable pass mark, arguing that the 70% threshold was too high and could deter many qualified candidates from pursuing a teaching career.
The Revised Pass Mark
After extensive consultations and discussions with various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, the NTC decided to lower the pass mark to 52%.
This decision was made to strike a balance between maintaining high standards for incoming teachers and ensuring that the licensure examination is accessible to a broader range of candidates.
The NTC emphasized that the exam questions would closely align with the curriculum taught in the accredited public colleges of education.
SEE ALSO: Content Areas to Study for Your Licensure Examination (GTLE)
Future Outlook
The revised pass mark is a step towards ensuring that the teaching profession remains accessible while maintaining quality standards.
The NTC has noted that it will continue to monitor the impact of the revised pass mark and make further adjustments if necessary.
The ultimate goal is to produce well-qualified and competent teachers who can contribute to the development of the education system in Ghana.
SEE ALSO: Mahama’s Education Policy: Will Teacher Licensure Exams Be Cancelled?
Preparation and Study Tips
To succeed in the GTLE, candidates are advised to thoroughly prepare for the examination.
The NTC has emphasized the importance of aligning study efforts with the curriculum taught in the colleges of education and the content areas available at https://ntc.gov.gh/gtle-content/
Candidates are also urged to focus on key content areas and practice past examination papers to familiarize themselves with the format and types of questions that may be asked.
