Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the practice of teacher licensing and relicensing
implementation for primary school teachers and to identify the challenges related to a low
score in the competency exam in South West Shewa Zone. It was concerned with identifying the
extent of implementing the criteria and process of teachers licensing and relicensing, the
challenges observed in implementing and how teachers and school leaders perceive its
importance as quality assurance and professional development. This study employed the
concurrent mixed research design including both quantitative and qualitative methods by more
focusing on quantitative one. A total of 522 respondents including 339 teachers sampled
through multistage sampling in which simple random sampling techniques were employed and
159 school leaders sampled through comprehensive sampling from the schools’ teachers were
selected; and 24 zone and woreda education office heads and experts, and Woreda and school
teachers’ association representatives selected using purposive sampling techniques were
participated in responding the questionnaires ant interview. Questionnaires, interviews, and
document analysis were used to collect data for the study. The data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviations) with the help of
SPSS version 20. Based on the analysis of the data, it was found that the implementation of
both criteria and process of teachers licensing and renewing according the guide and
teachers’ competency exam result were found low. And also teachers’ perception regarding
teachers licensing implementation was low or negatively perceived teachers licensing and
relicensing. The study also found that teachers licensing and relicensing was challenging by
low preparation of teachers for teachers’ competency exam, low awareness of teachers on
standards and different directives of teachers licensing and high workload on teachers and
also connection of teachers licensing with teachers’ career development was low. The study
concluded that teachers licensing and relicensing was not implementing according to the
directives and guideline established and lack of awareness of different parties was challenging
the implementation of teachers licensing. Based on these findings and conclusion drown,
capacitating teachers and other professionals, implementing teachers licensing and relicensing
according to the directives and guidelines and facilitating the online test and assessment
mechanism were suggested.
