Ministry caution teachers to get professional licenses

Education authorities have warned teachers that they risk being barred from practicing their profession if they fail to get licensed by the 1^st of July this year.

In its second board meeting held last December, the Teachers Council approved guidelines which mandates that all student and serving teachers get registered with the council in accordance with Education Act of 2013.

Through a statement, the council announced that: “All institutions are therefore requested to inform all serving primary school teachers, secondary school teachers, Teacher Training College tutors, Early Childhood Development caregivers, Guidance and Counselling Officers, and Education Administrators to register with the Council by 30th June, 2024. After this window, no teacher will be allowed to practice without registration.”

Spokesperson in the ministry of education Mphatso Nkuonera said registration for licensing is currently underway with fees ranging from K15,000 to K45,000 and 2024 all unlicensed teachers will be barred from practicing come July 1.

Nkuonera said to qualify for the license, one has to among others have a teaching qualification from an accredited education training institution and relevant to the category being applied for, a valid National Identification Card, not serving a jail sentence upon conviction, have a University Certificate of Education (UCE) or a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching Methodology (PGDTM) if is a holder of non-education qualification and international candidates or Malawians with qualifications from other countries shall have their qualification validated by National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).

He further encouraged institutions to enroll such teachers in Post Graduate Diplomas in Teaching Methodology (PGDTM) or a University Certificate of Education (UCE) or its equivalent by the specified time.

“The teacher trainees from all accredited teacher training institutions will part ways with their K15,000 if they want to be indexed,and according to the Council, the indexing of all the trainees should be done by 30th March, 2024,” Nkuonera emphasised.

For a license which will be valid for three years, Malawians are paying fees ranging from K45,000 to K135,000 and non-Malawians are paying a fee range of $15 to $75 depending on the level of their institution.

He further said that: “The teaching license shall be renewed if an applicant has satisfied 150 credits of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) from approved list of CPDs published by the council, has not contravened Government of Malawi Teacher Code of Conduct in the previous year, is not on interdiction and is not involved in active politics.”