President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the government is working assiduously with relevant stakeholders to produce quality teachers that meet the changing dynamics of the teaching profession in the 21st century educational system.
He said the Ministry of Education (MoE) through the National Teaching Council (NTC) had been empowered to implement policies and programmes that would help produce and maintain quality teachers needed in the country’s educational transformation agenda.
He said this at the 2023 Ghana Teacher Prize Awards, held in Takoradi.
The ceremony was held as part of activities to mark this year’s World Teachers’ Day on the theme: “The Teachers We Need for the Education We Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse the Teacher Shortage.”
President Akufo-Addo said to improve upon teacher quality and their skill sets, the NTC had among other policies instituted the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination to ensure that graduates recruited to teach in schools met the professional standards and fit for that purpose.
“In addition, the MoE through the NTC has institutionalized a point-based continuous professional development system that ensures that our teachers do not remain same but stay competitive and relevant in the ever-dynamic world of knowledge and skills,” he added.
He said: “When we talk about building an education system we want, we envision education that fosters critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, empathy and adaptability skills that empower our schools to navigate the challenges of the 21st century.
“We envision education that ensures that no child is left behind but guarantees that every Ghanaian child has access to a minimum of Senior High School (SHS) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).”
But to realize this vision of education, President Akufo-Addo indicated that “we need a particular kind of teacher – one who is not just a dispenser of information, but also a facilitator of learning experiences.
We need teachers who inspire curiosity, ignite passion and open to their continuous development.”
The President, therefore, noted that his government was focused on transforming teaching as an attractive and astute profession that draws the best of minds and knowledge, while retaining experienced educators.
He, however, acknowledged some of the challenges teachers faced despite the significant strides made by his government to improve their working conditions.
“We cannot ignore the challenges that our teachers face in their noble profession such as inadequate resources and limited professional development opportunities, these challenges sometimes hinder their abilities to provide the quality education our children deserve.”
President Akufo-Addo indicated that addressing such issues was a collective responsibility of all stakeholders geared towards creating an enabling environment where teachers could thrive and continue to impact lives.
“I stand before you today committed to ensuring that our teachers receive the recognition, support and resources they need, we will continue to work tirelessly to improve upon the conditions in which they teach to provide continuous opportunities for our students,” he added.