NTC Licensure Exams

New Structure of Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination

Moses Coleman
August 18, 2025

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The Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) has undergone a major overhaul, introducing a more specialised and rigorous structure aimed at improving teacher quality and aligning licensure with classroom realities.

The National Teaching Council (NTC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has rolled out these reforms to ensure that newly trained teachers possess the professional knowledge, pedagogical skills, and subject mastery required to deliver quality education across all levels.

This article breaks down the new structure, eligibility criteria, pass mark, strategies for success, and what the reforms mean for teacher trainees and graduates.

The New GTLE Structure

Under the revised framework, candidates are still required to write three distinct papers, each designed to assess a different dimension of teaching competence:

General Professional Knowledge (GPK)

This paper evaluates foundational teaching knowledge across three key domains:

Literacy: Includes reading comprehension, grammar, and communication skills. Candidates are required to write an essay worth 10 marks.

Essential Professional Skills: Covers classroom management, inclusive education, assessment strategies, and professional ethics.

Numeracy: Tests basic mathematical reasoning and application relevant to teaching practice.

Format:

90 multiple-choice questions
1 essay (10 marks) under the Literacy section

Related Pedagogy

This paper is tailored to the candidate’s level of training and assesses pedagogical knowledge and instructional strategies appropriate to:

Early Childhood Education

Primary Education

Junior High School (JHS) Education

Senior High School (SHS) Education

New Format:

70 multiple-choice questions
The remaining 30% of the total score will be derived from observed teaching practice, conducted during the candidate’s out-segment programmes and internships.

This practical component ensures that candidates demonstrate real-world teaching competence and classroom engagement.

Subject of Specialisation / Multiple Subject Content

This paper varies based on the candidate’s area of specialisation:

JHS & SHS Candidates: Write a subject-specific paper (e.g., English, Science, Social Studies, etc.)
- Standard Format: 100 multiple-choice questions
- Exception: Mathematics majors write 60 multiple-choice questions

Early Childhood & Primary Education Candidates: Write a Multiple Subject Content paper covering English, Mathematics, Science, Creative Art, and Social Studies.

Format:

100 multiple-choice questions

Who Qualifies to Write the GTLE?

The Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE) is open to a wide range of candidates who meet the academic and professional standards set by the National Teaching Council (NTC).

The following categories of individuals are eligible to sit for the examination:

Graduates from Colleges of Education

Candidates who have successfully completed the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programme from any accredited College of Education in Ghana are qualified to write the GTLE.

These candidates must have fulfilled all academic requirements, including teaching practice and internship components.

University Graduates with Education-Related Degrees

Graduates from universities who hold education-related qualifications such as:

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed)
Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
Other recognised teaching qualifications

These candidates must have completed their programme and met the standards required for professional teaching practice.

Resit Candidates

Individuals who previously sat for the GTLE but did not meet the pass mark in one or more papers are eligible to re-register and resit only the failed papers.

Want to Check If You Qualify for the GTLE?

If you want to check whether you qualify to write the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination (GTLE), visit the NTC portal to check your status:

Go to:https://indexing.ntc.gov.gh/

Once you’re on the portal, click on the “Check Status” option and use your college index number to proceed.

If your training institution has uploaded your details and you’re eligible to write, the system will confirm your status—meaning you qualify to register.

Pass Mark

To pass the GTLE, candidates must score at least 52% in each paper.

This translates to:

General Professional Knowledge: Minimum of 47 correct answers out of 90, plus a satisfactory essay
Related Pedagogy: Minimum of 37 correct answers out of 70, plus strong performance in the observed teaching practice
Subject of Specialisation / Multiple Subject Content: Minimum of 52 correct answers out of 100 (or 31 for Mathematics majors)

How to Pass

Success in the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination requires strategic preparation, discipline, and a clear understanding of the new structure.

Here are practical steps to help candidates meet the 52% pass mark in each paper:

Understand the Exam Structure:

Familiarize yourself with the format, number of questions, and focus areas of each paper—General Professional Knowledge, Related Pedagogy, and Subject of Specialization or Multiple Subject Content.