Federal Government directs TRCN to remove unqualified teachers from classrooms

Federal Government directs TRCN to remove unqualified teachers from classrooms

The Federal Government has instructed the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) to completely rid classrooms of unqualified teachers. It also directed the council to withdraw the licenses of any teacher found to be undermining the integrity of the profession.

This directive was issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during the inauguration of the 5th Governing Board of the TRCN in Abuja. The announcement comes at a challenging time for the council, which is grappling with financial difficulties following the Federal Government’s decision to stop funding professional bodies.

Recall that in 2023, the government declared it would end budgetary allocations to professional bodies and regulatory councils starting from January 2024. A circular from the Budget Office of the Federation, dated June 26, 2023, and referenced DG/BDT/GEN. CORR/2016/XII/3067, advised the affected organizations to begin early adjustments to ensure continued operations without government funding. This move aligns with recommendations from the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS).

“I wish to inform you that, the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS), at its 13th meeting, approved the discontinuation of budgetary allocation to Professional Bodies/Councils effective  January 1, 2024.

“The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to inform you that, in compliance with PCS’s directive, this Office (Budget Office of the Federation) will no longer make budgetary provisions for your institution, which means that you will be regarded henceforth as a self-funded organization.

“For the avoidance of doubt, you will be required, effective January 1, 2024, to be fully responsible for your personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures,” the memo said.

In education, TRCN, Computer Registration Council, Librarians Registration Council,  among others were affected by the policy.

Since then TRCN had lost its steam and vibrancy brought to the Council by its former Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Josiah Ajiboye, largely because of lack of resources to executive its programmes after payment of salaries.

The council is now unable to fund mandatory training programmes for teachers and is extremely incapacitated to carry out any enforcement drive as a regulatory agency.

Several appeals by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and other critical stakeholders for the Federal Government to restore funding of TRCN because of its strategic position as the only agency with direct mandate of ensuring professionalism, quality and welfare of teachers in the country, have not yielded positive response from the Government.

But speaking during the inauguration of the TRCN’s new Board, the Minister of Education, said it would no longer “business as usual” for the teaching profession in the country as Nigeria was poised to enforce best practices in the teaching profession.

Alausa said: “Today marks not only the formal activation of a statutory governance structure but also a renewed commitment to professionalizing the teaching profession and repositioning our education system under the Renewed Hope Agenda of our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

“We are also not merely inaugurating a board today, but igniting a revolution in the standards, dignity, and future of Nigeria’s teaching profession.

“Every Nigerian child deserves a certified professional with no exceptions.”

He charged the Council to leverage digital tools to streamline teacher certification, track continuous professional development (CPD), and anticipate the evolving demands of a modern learning environment, including artificial intelligence (AI) integration and hybrid instruction.

The Minister charged members of the council to enforce the ethical code of the profession with courage and praise excellence where it exists.

He also admonished the council to work closely with state governments, teacher unions, and global education bodies like UNESCO to elevate our standards to global benchmarks.

“Let us learn from global best practices. In countries like Finland, teachers are held in the same high regard as doctors. We must adopt a similar mindset here in Nigeria—where teachers are not only seen as educators but also as key builders of the nation,” the Minister stated.

He added, “Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, this administration recognizes that no education system can outperform the quality of its teachers. As such, the Ministry is implementing several initiatives aimed at improving teacher quality and welfare.”

Chairman of the TRCN Governing Board, Comrade Mustapha Saliu, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the Minister of Education for the trust placed in the newly appointed board members. He pledged the board’s full commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities.

Underscoring the critical role of teachers in both education and societal development, Saliu urged fellow board members to work diligently in repositioning the teaching profession for the benefit of learners and the nation as a whole.

He also appealed to President Tinubu to reinstate government funding for the TRCN, emphasizing that financial support—especially to cover staff salaries—would significantly enhance staff morale and operational efficiency.

TRCN Registrar, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, also praised the President and the Minister for their efforts in improving the education sector. She affirmed the council’s readiness to engage all stakeholders in the teaching profession and ensure Nigerian teachers are equipped with professional skills that meet global standards.