Solomon Gbenka, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) says the presence of untrained teachers in Ghana’s classrooms could be contributing to poor academic outcomes among students.
Speaking on Dreamz FM’s Breakfast Today program, Gbenka said teachers without professional training often lack the pedagogical and psychological skills required to effectively handle learners.
His comments follow revelations by the National Teaching Council that more than 42,000 teachers in Ghana’s basic and senior high schools do not possess professional teaching qualifications.
According to Gbenka, while some non-professional teachers may have academic knowledge in their subject areas, many lack formal training in teaching methodology and classroom management.
“They do not have the requisite methodology to be able to teach these children,” he said. “They also lack the psychology of how to handle children, and it definitely has an impact on the outcomes we are currently seeing.”
He explained that under current NTC regulations, individuals with degrees unrelated to education are classified as non-professional teachers unless they acquire additional training in education.
“For instance, somebody may have a degree in history or economics, but if there is no educational background attached to it, the person is not considered a professional teacher,” he stated.
Gbenka said the establishment of autonomous educational regulatory bodies under Ghana’s education reforms was aimed at addressing such deficiencies and improving teaching standards nationwide.
He also expressed concern over changing attitudes toward the teaching profession, noting that economic hardship and unemployment are now pushing many people into teaching for survival rather than passion.
“In those days, teaching was one of the safest jobs because employment was almost automatic after training college,” he said. “Today, because of lack of jobs, wherever the air blows, people follow.”
Despite the challenges, Gbenka said many young people still enter the profession out of genuine passion and commitment to education.
The NTC’s ongoing fast-track program is expected to help non-professional teachers obtain certification before the end of the year, after which sanctions could be imposed on those who fail to regularize their status.
