1. Presented by Alhaji H.A. Ziblim 20/10/2010

2.  Certification of teachers in Ghana has undergone various changes over the years.  We had the Certificate B; which was a two year teacher training after Middle school.  Certificate A post B; a four year training after two years teaching as a cert. B teacher  Four years post Middle Certificate A  Two years post Secondary Certificate A  Three years post Secondary Certificate A This category of teachers are trained to teach at the basic level

3.  Two years Specialist Cert. subject teachers  Three years Diploma certificate subject teachers  Teachers with Bachelor of Education degrees. This category of teachers, were trained to teach at the second cycle institutions (Secondary Schools and Teacher Training Colleges etc)

4.  The current trend is that the basic or minimum qualification of a teacher for the basic level should be a Diploma in Basic Education  First degree plus will be for the second cycle institutions

5.  This necessitated the introduction of the UTDBE to get all un-trained teachers in our schools certificated four years ago.  A two year top-up by distance was also introduced to upgrade the certificate A holders in the classrooms to get the Diploma in Basic Education

6.  There are two ways CSTs can be supported to become certificated teachers;  First they can be supported to go through remedial classes and re-write the SSSCE to qualify them for direct entry into the colleges of education to do a diploma in basic education  They can also be supported to enroll on the UTDBE when it is re-opened to mop-up untrained teachers still in the classrooms

7.  District education directorates be should advocated to absorb the CSTs who are performing well as untrained teachers when vacancies occur in the districts.  That will better qualify them for the UTDBE programme when it is reopened.  Thanks for your attention