The Department of Education has restated its commitment to ensuring the competency of teachers, stressing that teachers must meet strict academic and professional standards to be eligible for registration.

Secretary of Education Dr. Uke Kombra confirmed that the minimum requirement for a teacher to be registered is a Grade 12 certificate with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.8 or higher.

The teacher must then undergo three years of formal teacher training and graduate with the required GPA.

After completing these qualifications, teachers are required to submit their credentials to the Department of Education for registration.

The initial registration is provisional, with full registration or licensing granted upon the completion of certain requirements.

Dr. Kombra stated that teachers who fail to meet the minimum GPA of 2.8 will not be registered and therefore, should not be engaged for teaching positions.

"If a teacher’s GPA is less than 2.8, they will not be registered. They will need to upgrade their qualifications before being eligible for registration.”

The Secretary also shared concerns about the potential risks of employing teachers with low academic qualifications, highlighting that teachers must possess not only the necessary knowledge but also the ability to communicate effectively in the classroom.

In line with ongoing efforts to improve teacher quality, Dr. Kombra mentioned that the current Minister for Education is pushing to raise the GPA requirement to 3.2, although discussions with higher education authorities are still ongoing.

For now, the 2.8 GPA requirement remains in effect.