Register with TRCN or Face Sanctions, NUT President Warns Teachers
The President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Audu Amba, has called on teachers across the country to comply fully with the registration and licensing requirements of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), cautioning that non-compliance could attract disciplinary measures.
Mr Amba said the regulatory framework guiding the teaching profession was a product of sustained advocacy by the union to promote standards and professionalism in the sector.
He explained that the TRCN was established to regulate teaching practice and ensure that only qualified and licensed individuals are allowed in classrooms.
Under existing requirements, a prospective professional teacher must hold at least a Nigeria Certificate in Education, a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Education, or a Postgraduate Diploma in Education for those who initially studied other disciplines but later transitioned into teaching.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, Mr Amba expressed concern about the increasing presence of unqualified individuals in classrooms, attributing the trend to limited employment opportunities in other sectors.
“It is only in the teaching profession that you find people without the required qualifications in the classroom.
“This is because of limited job opportunities elsewhere. People often say, ‘Why don’t you consider teaching?’ That mindset must change,” he said.
He stressed that teaching should be reserved strictly for trained professionals who have met certification standards and obtained valid licences.
“Teaching is meant for professionals who have acquired the necessary qualifications and are duly licensed to teach in the classroom,” he added.
The NUT president said teachers were expected to be registered with the TRCN and possess valid certification as evidence of eligibility to practise.
“If you are a teacher, you are expected by now to be registered with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, be duly certificated, and hold a valid licence that qualifies you to teach in our classrooms,” he said.
Mr Amba expressed confidence that compliance levels are high in public schools, noting that many government-employed teachers meet the stipulated requirements.
“I can assure you that most teachers in government schools are properly certificated. A significant number of them meet the required standards,” he stated.
He clarified that the council’s oversight is not limited to public institutions but extends to private schools as well, in line with its mandate to uphold professional standards nationwide.
Mr Amba also disclosed that a disciplinary committee has been constituted to monitor compliance and address cases involving unregistered teachers.
“TRCN, in collaboration with the NUT, is working diligently to ensure that those who fail to meet the requirements to teach are appropriately sanctioned.
“A disciplinary committee is in place to monitor individuals who do not possess the TRCN certificate,” he warned.
The council has intensified enforcement efforts in recent years, insisting that teaching, like other recognised professions, must be practised exclusively by trained and licensed individuals.
