Accra: The Republic of Namibia has expressed keen interest in leveraging Ghana’s successful teacher regulatory framework to professionalise its own teaching service. A delegation from the Namibian Teaching Service Commission, led by Commissioner Habate Doeses, recently concluded a visit to Ghana where they engaged with key education agencies, including the National Teaching Council (NTC) and the Ghana Education Service (GES).
According to Ghana News Agency, the visit, which was part of a larger mission to explore areas of collaboration, identified six key areas for partnership. Among these, the adoption and adaptation of Ghana’s teacher regulatory framework and continuous professional development (CPD) model were highlighted as immediate priorities.
During a press briefing, Ms. Doeses lauded Ghana’s efforts in professionalising the teaching field, saying, ‘We have seen the way that your regulatory bodies act is structured. We would want to use that structured approach.’ She explained that Namibia was currently in the incipient stages of drafting its own Teaching Profession Bill and seeking technical support and expertise from the NTC and GES to streamline the process.
She praised Ghana’s framework and model for supporting teachers’ mental health and sought to share what they are doing while also receiving support from their Ghanaian counterparts to combat the issue. The Commissioner also noted other areas of collaboration, which included tapping into Ghana’s impressive licensure system and examination management, emulating the country’s continuous professional development (CPD) framework.
In his remarks, Ghana’s Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Minister for Education, expressed his excitement and assured the Namibian delegation of Ghana’s commitment to the partnership. ‘The six areas of collaboration, I think, are well thought out. And we will be available, both as a ministry, our agencies, and even as a government, to provide you the needed support and expertise,’ he stated.
Dr. Apaak also highlighted the cordial relationship between the Ministry and teacher unions in Ghana as a model for Namibia to consider. He seized the opportunity to extend an invitation to the Namibian government and people to attend the first AI and education international conference in Africa, to be hosted in Ghana.