Employ Certified Teachers or Risk Losing WAEC Accreditation, FG Orders Schools
The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a strict directive to all secondary schools in the country, warning that failure to employ certified teachers will result in the loss of accreditation to conduct public examinations. The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on September 11, 2025, in a move aimed at professionalizing the teaching workforce and improving the quality of education nationwide. According to the new policy, all secondary school teachers must obtain certification from the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) by 2027. Schools that fail to meet this requirement will be disqualified from serving as centres for major public examinations, including the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary School Certificate Examination (SAISSCE). Dr. Alausa outlined a strict timeline for compliance, stating that schools must ensure their teachers are TRCN-certified by March 2027 for WASSCE, May 2027 for NABTEB, and June 2027 for NECO and SAISSCE. “Schools that do not comply with these standards will not be permitted to host any public examinations,” he warned. To assist teachers in meeting the certification requirements, the Minister advised those without formal education degrees but with at least one year of teaching experience to enrol in short-term professional programmes offered by the National Teachers Institute (NTI). These courses, which last between three and six months, are designed to prepare participants for TRCN registration and licensing, ensuring compliance with the government’s directive. State governments have also been directed to supervise the process within their jurisdictions, ensuring that both public and private secondary schools achieve a minimum compliance rate of 75 percent by 2026, with full compliance expected by 2027. Failure to meet these benchmarks could result in severe penalties, including loss of accreditation for examinations. Education stakeholders have described the directive as a crucial step toward improving teaching standards in Nigeria. By mandating that only certified teachers occupy classrooms, the government seeks to enhance academic standards and improve learning outcomes for students across the country. “The directive reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring quality education,” Dr. Alausa said. “We must guarantee that teachers are properly trained and certified to deliver effective instruction to Nigerian students.” The Federal Government’s warning underscores a renewed focus on professionalism in education, signaling that schools must meet regulatory standards or risk exclusion from administering critical national examinations.
