By Prince J Musa in Kenema
In a bid to ensure professionalism in the classroom, the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has conducted a pilot-phase examination for teachers in Kenema District, preceding nationwide process for acquiring teaching licenses.
The exam started on the 29th January 2024 at the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) office, Kenema.
In his address to the teachers, Deputy Director of TSC in the district, Tamba S. Bockarie said the pilot phase was targeting 36 Teachers from the district that were recruited in 2022 - 2023.
‘’This exam is not to intimidate any teacher but to add value to the teaching profession in Sierra Leone,’’ he said.
He said that despite the number of teachers in Kenema district, it is expected that more will see the need to apply for the exam. He encouraged young teachers especially women to come onboard as more men took part in the exam than women.
Bockarie spoke of much improvement on the number of teachers that have participated in the process and who’ve had their names shortlisted at the commission’s head office in Freetown.
Bockarie noted that teaching is a respectable and admirable profession and the back bone of useful human resource development. He encouraged more teachers to take the exam adding that it is good for them and building of the nation.
According to the Acting Director of Teachers Development and Performance Department at TSC, Ophelia Morrison, the license exam is a pilot phase which the commission is implementing and which teachers have over the period been sensitized about its significance.
She emphasized that a license will only be issued to teachers that have taken the exam, whether they are with pin-code or not, as it is now a policy for the teaching profession. ‘’Getting license as a teacher will open more opportunities for you which will guarantee your credibility,’’ she said.
Morrison dismissed the rumors of withdrawing pin-codes from teachers if they fail the exam, insisting it is a misconception and that the commission is encouraging them to go in for the exam. She clarified that failing the exam in the first attempt does not disqualify a teacher but a second opportunity will be given.t She said the questions are drawn based on the area of qualification of a teacher.
Brima Shaka Sannoh, a teacher who took the exam said it’s important and that the questions are related to most of the things they deal with as teachers in the classroom, and encouraged colleagues to take the exam.
Another teacher from Roman Catholic (RC) Primary school Simbaru chiefdom, Ibrahim Konneh said the exam is a good initiative but expressed difficulties in handling the tablet used. He also stated that the time allocated for mathematics which was short. He however said the questions were good but appealed to TSC to improve on the time schedule. Konneh said he will have to take the exam for a second time.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (05/02/24)
