The Basic Education Teacher’s Union of Zambia –BETUZ, has criticized the proposed idea of a licensure exam for teachers, terming it unfair to employed teachers.
According to the union, this proposal would negatively impact the morale of the teachers who are already working hard to educate the children of Zambia as the proposal, which is being pushed, would require all teachers in Zambia to take a licensure exam before they can be allowed to continue teaching.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times –ZBT-, Kunka such exams should be introduced at the tertiary education level so that it is incorporated into the course.
He said it can only work for those who are not yet employed and that the already employed cannot be subjected to such exams. “After failing the exams what happens? Others are old this time, they cannot withstand exams, and others are already in management” said Kunka.
He is of the view that licensure exams can only work if they are at the end of the course so that they become part of the course and serve as examinations to determine qualified teachers. He said if it is subjected to those already in employment, it will be very unfair and will not work.
He has therefore called on –TCZ- to consider taking such exams to colleges and universities for them to become part of the course at the completion stage.
“Even those who are already trained and waiting to be deployed, it will be unfair because we needed these exams when they just finished the course,” said Kunka.
Kunka cited the Ziale exams that are taken by lawyers before they can begin to practice the profession and emphasized that it should be the same for the teaching profession if the exams are to be introduced.
