FG makes TRCN certification compulsory for secondary school teachers from 2027
The federal government has directed that from 2027, only secondary schools with properly certified teachers will be accredited to serve as centres for public examinations.
The directive is contained in a memo issued on Thursday by Tunji Alausa, minister of education, to the registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
Alausa said the policy is aimed at strengthening professionalism in the teaching profession.
He explained that accreditation of both public and private schools for examinations conducted by WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and NBIAS will be strictly tied to teachers’ TRCN certification.
“Effective from March 2027 for WASSCE, May 2027 for NABTEB, June 2027 for NECO and June 2027 for SAISSCE, any school whose teachers are not duly registered and licensed with the TRCN shall be disqualified from serving as an examination centre,” the memo reads.
He added that schools are expected to achieve at least 75 percent compliance by 2026, and full compliance by 2027.
The minister urged state governments to ensure that both public and private schools in their jurisdictions comply with the directive.
To ease implementation, Alausa advised non-education graduates with at least one year of teaching experience to enrol in the National Teachers Institute (NTI).
The NTI, he noted, offers an abridged professional certification programme lasting between three and six months, after which participants can qualify for TRCN registration and licensing.
He called for wide sensitisation of stakeholders to ensure compliance and avoid disruption in accreditation for public examinations.
