The Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union (CSAWU) has accused the teaching council of Zambia of using licensure exams to raise funds under the guise of professionalism.
The union has condemned the proposal to introduce teacher licensure exams terming it as a fundraising method rather than a means of promoting professionalism.
The Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) had proposed the introduction of licensure exams for teachers as a way of employing qualified teachers.
However, CSAWU president Makayi Makayi has stated that regulatory bodies should focus on monitoring and regulating learning institutions, rather than looking for opportunities to make money.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times, Makayi noted that such exams would come with a requirement of money.
He said that teachers are already burdened with other commitments such as PAYE tax, health insurance, and NAPSA, and that introducing licensure exams as a revenue-collecting measure would not be good.
Makayi further emphasized that there is no need for someone who has already graduated to sit for another exam.
He suggested that if there are flaws or weaknesses in the training system for teachers, they should be dealt with at the training institutions themselves.
This would help ensure that qualified teachers are being produced and that quality service is being provided to citizens upon graduation.
The CSAWU president also highlighted the need to monitor and regulate learning institutions, especially in light of the increase in the mushrooming of colleges.
He emphasized that the required education and exams must be given at the learning institutions and that it should not be a trend for every profession to introduce licensure exams.
The proposal to introduce teacher licensure exams has been met with criticism from CSAWU, which sees it as a fundraising method rather than a means of promoting professionalism.
The union has called for regulatory bodies to focus on monitoring and regulating learning institutions, and to ensure that they are producing qualified teachers who can provide quality service to citizens.
