The Federal Government has announced sweeping reforms in the education sector, mandating that no teacher will be allowed into Nigerian classrooms without official registration and licensing with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
This directive was made public on Sunday in a statement released by the Federal Ministry of Education through its verified X account. According to the ministry, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria will henceforth serve as the sole regulatory and licensing body for teachers across the nation.
The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), on the other hand, has been restructured to focus exclusively on in-service training programs and community-based professional development initiatives designed to upgrade teacher capacity.
Education Minister, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, while unveiling the updated guidelines, explained that the reforms covered teacher registration, continuous professional development, compliance monitoring, welfare, and curriculum standards.
He said, “No teacher will stand before a Nigerian classroom without TRCN registration & licensing. This guarantees competent and professional teaching for every child. This reform is about results and sustainability. Nigerian children will be taught by the best, prepared for the best, and supported by the best. It is Renewed Hope in action.”
okaynews.com reports that Alausa had earlier cautioned secondary school administrators, stressing that uncertified teachers would disqualify schools from hosting national examinations.
From 2027, the government plans to enforce stricter measures by linking the accreditation of both public and private secondary schools to the TRCN certification of their teaching staff. This would directly affect their eligibility to serve as centers for major examinations such as the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the National Board for Islamic and Arabic Studies (NBIAS).
