The Federal Government has issued a directive requiring all secondary school teachers—both in public and private institutions—to possess proper professional certification. Schools that fail to comply will be disqualified from serving as centres for national examinations such as WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and SAI.
The directive was communicated in a memo dated Thursday, September 11, by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, to the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). The move, according to Alausa, is in line with the government’s policy to enhance professionalism in the education sector.
“Effective from March 2027 for WASSCE, May 2027 for NABTEB, and June 2027 for both NECO and SAI, any school whose teachers are not duly registered and licensed with the TRCN shall be disqualified from serving as an examination centre,” the memo stated.
The minister further urged state governments to enforce the directive, noting that compliance will be closely monitored. Schools are expected to achieve at least 75% compliance by 2026 and full compliance by 2027.
To support non-education graduates already teaching, Dr. Alausa recommended enrolment in the National Teachers Institute’s (NTI) abridged professional certification programme. Designed for individuals with a minimum of 12 months classroom experience, the short-term courses—lasting between three to six months—qualify participants for TRCN registration and licensing upon completion.
“I urge all stakeholders to treat this directive as a top priority,” Alausa said. “There must be broad sensitisation across the country to avoid disruptions in accreditation for public examinations.”
