Education Ministry Orders All Secondary School Teachers to Register with TRCN

By Tgnews Reporter

The Federal Ministry of Education has directed that every teacher in public and private secondary schools across Nigeria must be fully registered and licensed by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

The directive, issued under the leadership of Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, aims to remove unqualified teachers from classrooms and raise the standard of teaching in the country.

According to the policy, no teacher will be allowed to teach in any secondary school without a valid TRCN licence. Schools that fail to comply risk losing their accreditation as centres for major national examinations, including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and others, starting from 2027.

The move is part of ongoing efforts to professionalise the teaching profession and ensure that only qualified and licensed educators stand before students.

State governments have been asked to support teachers in their states to meet the requirement within the set timeline, with full compliance expected by the 2026/2027 academic session and 100% enforcement by 2027.

Teachers are advised to visit the official TRCN portal to register or renew their licences. The licence is valid for three years and is now a mandatory requirement for practising teachers.

Dr. Alausa has emphasised that the policy will help guarantee quality education for Nigerian children by ensuring competent and professional teaching in all schools.

This directive applies to all secondary school teachers nationwide, both in government-owned and private institutions. It is expected to bring greater accountability and improve learning outcomes in the education sector.

The Ministry has urged all concerned teachers and school owners to take immediate steps to comply with the new rule to avoid any disruption to school operations or examination activities in the coming years.

School proprietors have also been warned that accreditation for conducting public examinations will be strictly tied to the percentage of TRCN-licensed teachers on their staff. Schools are expected to achieve at least 75% compliance by the end of 2026, with full (100%) compliance required by 2027.

The TRCN has been tasked with monitoring compliance and flushing out unqualified individuals from the teaching profession.

Teachers with the minimum qualification of NCE or its equivalent can begin the registration process, which includes passing the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) where necessary.

This policy forms part of the Federal Government’s broader Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen the education sector and restore dignity to the teaching profession.