“It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination

Richardson Addai-Mununkum; Samuel Asare Amoah; Emmanuel Makabu Jagri Tamanja; Patricia Mawusi Amos; Edmond Akwasi Agyeman; Christian Addai-Poku; Peter Akayuure; Hinneh Kusi

doi:doi:10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13

Research Article |

“It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination

Richardson Addai-Mununkum^*, Samuel Asare Amoah, Emmanuel Makabu Jagri Tamanja, Patricia Mawusi Amos, Edmond Akwasi Agyeman, Christian Addai-Poku, Peter Akayuure, Hinneh Kusi

Published in Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies (Volume 9, Issue 1)

Received: 9 January 2024 Accepted: 25 January 2024 Published: 28 February 2024

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Abstract

The professionalism of teaching has been subject of an age long debate. Teachers beseech others to recognize them as professionals and they become belligerent when they fail to receive recognition. Since 2018, Ghana has instituted the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examinations (GTLE) to regulate entry into the teaching profession. This policy has received a mixed bag of reactions with the populace sharply divided in opinion. Given that knowledge gap existed, it was important to interrogate the general perception of all stakeholders across Ghana to unravel how the GTLE is perceived among stakeholders. This paper is culled out of a broader study that employed a mixed-methods research approach in a nationwide study involving over 2800 respondents. For this paper, we report on the qualitative data generated from 145 participants. We describe the concerns of stakeholders who are in favour, against, or ambivalent about the GTLE. Drawing on an adaptation of CBAM model, we discuss stakeholders’ perceptions of GTLE as stages of concern. We conclude that stakeholders opposed to the licensing of teachers do so because of their concerns about its form, content, and other logistical challenges. To sustain the policy, it is recommended for the National Teaching Council and the Ministry of Education to take steps to address these concerns. Regardless, what stakeholders agree to be the biggest strength of the GTLE is that it is a positive step towards professionalizing teaching. It is a useful yardstick to determine who is qualified to perform the function of teaching, and prevents all others who do not qualify from accessing classrooms.

Published in	Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies (Volume 9, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13
Page(s)	21-29
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Teacher Professionalism, Teacher Licensing, Qualitative Research, Ghana

References

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[11]	Nyarko-Sampson, E. “To scrap the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examinations (GTLE)? - What I see and how I see it - Graphic Online,” Graphic Online, Accra, 2020. Accessed: Jun. 29, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.graphic.com.gh/features/features/to-scrap-the-ghana-teacher-licensure-examinations-gtle-what-i-see-and-how-i-see-it.html
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[16]	Hall, G. E. “The concerns-based approach to facilitating change,” Educ. Horiz., vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 202–208, 1979.
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APA Style

Addai-Mununkum, R., Amoah, S. A., Tamanja, E. M. J., Amos, P. M., Agyeman, E. A., et al. (2024). “It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination. Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, 9(1), 21-29. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13

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ACS Style

Addai-Mununkum, R.; Amoah, S. A.; Tamanja, E. M. J.; Amos, P. M.; Agyeman, E. A., et al. “It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination. Teach. Educ. Curric. Stud. 2024, 9(1), 21-29. doi: 10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13

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AMA Style

Addai-Mununkum R, Amoah SA, Tamanja EMJ, Amos PM, Agyeman EA, et al. “It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination. Teach Educ Curric Stud. 2024;9(1):21-29. doi: 10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13

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@article{10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13,
  author = {Richardson Addai-Mununkum and Samuel Asare Amoah and Emmanuel Makabu Jagri Tamanja and Patricia Mawusi Amos and Edmond Akwasi Agyeman and Christian Addai-Poku and Peter Akayuure and Hinneh Kusi},
  title = {“It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination},
  journal = {Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies},
  volume = {9},
  number = {1},
  pages = {21-29},
  doi = {10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.tecs.20240901.13},
  abstract = {The professionalism of teaching has been subject of an age long debate. Teachers beseech others to recognize them as professionals and they become belligerent when they fail to receive recognition. Since 2018, Ghana has instituted the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examinations (GTLE) to regulate entry into the teaching profession. This policy has received a mixed bag of reactions with the populace sharply divided in opinion. Given that knowledge gap existed, it was important to interrogate the general perception of all stakeholders across Ghana to unravel how the GTLE is perceived among stakeholders. This paper is culled out of a broader study that employed a mixed-methods research approach in a nationwide study involving over 2800 respondents. For this paper, we report on the qualitative data generated from 145 participants. We describe the concerns of stakeholders who are in favour, against, or ambivalent about the GTLE. Drawing on an adaptation of CBAM model, we discuss stakeholders’ perceptions of GTLE as stages of concern. We conclude that stakeholders opposed to the licensing of teachers do so because of their concerns about its form, content, and other logistical challenges. To sustain the policy, it is recommended for the National Teaching Council and the Ministry of Education to take steps to address these concerns. Regardless, what stakeholders agree to be the biggest strength of the GTLE is that it is a positive step towards professionalizing teaching. It is a useful yardstick to determine who is qualified to perform the function of teaching, and prevents all others who do not qualify from accessing classrooms.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - “It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination
AU - Richardson Addai-Mununkum
AU - Samuel Asare Amoah
AU - Emmanuel Makabu Jagri Tamanja
AU - Patricia Mawusi Amos
AU - Edmond Akwasi Agyeman
AU - Christian Addai-Poku
AU - Peter Akayuure
AU - Hinneh Kusi
Y1 - 2024/02/28
PY - 2024
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13
DO - 10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13
T2 - Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies
JF - Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies
JO - Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies
SP - 21
EP - 29
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2575-4971
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13
AB - The professionalism of teaching has been subject of an age long debate. Teachers beseech others to recognize them as professionals and they become belligerent when they fail to receive recognition. Since 2018, Ghana has instituted the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examinations (GTLE) to regulate entry into the teaching profession. This policy has received a mixed bag of reactions with the populace sharply divided in opinion. Given that knowledge gap existed, it was important to interrogate the general perception of all stakeholders across Ghana to unravel how the GTLE is perceived among stakeholders. This paper is culled out of a broader study that employed a mixed-methods research approach in a nationwide study involving over 2800 respondents. For this paper, we report on the qualitative data generated from 145 participants. We describe the concerns of stakeholders who are in favour, against, or ambivalent about the GTLE. Drawing on an adaptation of CBAM model, we discuss stakeholders’ perceptions of GTLE as stages of concern. We conclude that stakeholders opposed to the licensing of teachers do so because of their concerns about its form, content, and other logistical challenges. To sustain the policy, it is recommended for the National Teaching Council and the Ministry of Education to take steps to address these concerns. Regardless, what stakeholders agree to be the biggest strength of the GTLE is that it is a positive step towards professionalizing teaching. It is a useful yardstick to determine who is qualified to perform the function of teaching, and prevents all others who do not qualify from accessing classrooms.

VL - 9
IS - 1
ER -

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Author Information

Richardson Addai-Mununkum

Department of Educational Foundations, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

Contact Email
Samuel Asare Amoah

Department of Educational Foundations, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Emmanuel Makabu Jagri Tamanja

Institute for Educational Research, Innovation Studies, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Patricia Mawusi Amos

Department of Counselling Psychology, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Edmond Akwasi Agyeman

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Akenten Appiah-Menka University for Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi Ghana
Christian Addai-Poku

National Teaching Council, Accra, Ghana
Peter Akayuure

Department of Mathematics Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Hinneh Kusi

Department of Educational Administration and Management, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

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APA Style

Addai-Mununkum, R., Amoah, S. A., Tamanja, E. M. J., Amos, P. M., Agyeman, E. A., et al. (2024). “It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination. Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, 9(1), 21-29. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13

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ACS Style

Addai-Mununkum, R.; Amoah, S. A.; Tamanja, E. M. J.; Amos, P. M.; Agyeman, E. A., et al. “It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination. Teach. Educ. Curric. Stud. 2024, 9(1), 21-29. doi: 10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13

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AMA Style

Addai-Mununkum R, Amoah SA, Tamanja EMJ, Amos PM, Agyeman EA, et al. “It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination. Teach Educ Curric Stud. 2024;9(1):21-29. doi: 10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13

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@article{10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13,
  author = {Richardson Addai-Mununkum and Samuel Asare Amoah and Emmanuel Makabu Jagri Tamanja and Patricia Mawusi Amos and Edmond Akwasi Agyeman and Christian Addai-Poku and Peter Akayuure and Hinneh Kusi},
  title = {“It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination},
  journal = {Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies},
  volume = {9},
  number = {1},
  pages = {21-29},
  doi = {10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20240901.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.tecs.20240901.13},
  abstract = {The professionalism of teaching has been subject of an age long debate. Teachers beseech others to recognize them as professionals and they become belligerent when they fail to receive recognition. Since 2018, Ghana has instituted the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examinations (GTLE) to regulate entry into the teaching profession. This policy has received a mixed bag of reactions with the populace sharply divided in opinion. Given that knowledge gap existed, it was important to interrogate the general perception of all stakeholders across Ghana to unravel how the GTLE is perceived among stakeholders. This paper is culled out of a broader study that employed a mixed-methods research approach in a nationwide study involving over 2800 respondents. For this paper, we report on the qualitative data generated from 145 participants. We describe the concerns of stakeholders who are in favour, against, or ambivalent about the GTLE. Drawing on an adaptation of CBAM model, we discuss stakeholders’ perceptions of GTLE as stages of concern. We conclude that stakeholders opposed to the licensing of teachers do so because of their concerns about its form, content, and other logistical challenges. To sustain the policy, it is recommended for the National Teaching Council and the Ministry of Education to take steps to address these concerns. Regardless, what stakeholders agree to be the biggest strength of the GTLE is that it is a positive step towards professionalizing teaching. It is a useful yardstick to determine who is qualified to perform the function of teaching, and prevents all others who do not qualify from accessing classrooms.
},
 year = {2024}
}

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VL - 9
IS - 1
ER -

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