Private Schools Owners Association of Malawi (PRISAM) have welcomed Teachers Council of Malawi idea that from July 1 this year, all teachers need to be licensed inorder to operate in the country.
In its letter, Teachers Council of Malawi states that every teacher from nursery, primary, secondary and university should be recommended be indexed, apply for registration and License.
Its Secretary general, Charles Kumchenga said time has come for Malawi to license teachers as one way of bringing sanity to the professional.
In its remarks, PRISAM Presudent, Dr Ernest Kaonga has welcomed this idea and said a licensed teacher is a sign that the teacher belongs to the profession and meets the stipulated professional requirements to be allowed to practice.
“Licensing a professional is a guarantee to society that the practitioner meets certain standards, adheres strictly to a Code of Conduct, and continuously updates him or herself professionally,”said Kaonga.
He also said that being a licensed teacher implies the teacher actively pursues a career in teaching and aspires for higher positions and grades through self-improvement, experience, and acquisition of knowledge and skills.
“Licensure provides the professional and public assurance that educators have met state teaching standards and have demonstrated their readiness to teach and improve student learning.As PRISAM we agree with Teachers Council of Malawi and we believe that all teachers should be “profession-ready” from their first day of responsibility for student learning,”said Kaonga.