The Federal Government has announced a decisive policy linking the accreditation of secondary schools for public examinations to the professional certification of their teachers. The move, authorities say, is aimed at raising standards and strengthening professionalism in Nigeria’s education sector.
The directive, issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, was contained in a memo to the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). Under the new policy, schools—both public and private—must ensure that their teaching staff are duly registered and licensed with the TRCN before they can serve as examination centres for national and regional examinations.
According to Alausa, the policy will take effect in 2027 and will cover the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the School-Based Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SAISSCE). Specific timelines were given: March 2027 for WASSCE, May 2027 for NABTEB, and June 2027 for both NECO and SAISSCE.
“Any school whose teachers are not duly registered and licensed with the TRCN shall be disqualified from serving as an examination centre,” Alausa stated, emphasizing that the measure is in line with government efforts to restore integrity to teaching. He added that the directive applies equally to state-owned and privately managed institutions.
The minister further instructed state governments to set up frameworks to guarantee compliance within the stipulated two years. To track progress, schools are expected to attain a minimum compliance rate of 75 percent by 2026, reaching full compliance of 100 percent by 2027. Monitoring, he said, will be rigorous to ensure the policy achieves its intended impact.
In recognition of the challenges some teachers may face, Alausa announced transitional provisions. Teachers who are non-education graduates but possess at least one year of classroom teaching experience will be allowed to enrol in the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI). Through its abridged professional certification programme—lasting between three and six months—such teachers can qualify for TRCN registration and licensing.
He urged teachers and school owners to take the directive seriously, noting that the government has provided sufficient time and accessible options for compliance. “This directive should be given the highest priority to prevent disruption of accreditation for public examinations,” he said.
Education experts say the policy, if implemented effectively, could significantly improve the quality of teaching across Nigeria’s secondary schools, while also tackling exam malpractice and boosting confidence in the nation’s examination system. Stakeholder sensitisation, officials stressed, will be intensified nationwide to ensure a smooth transition ahead of the 2027 deadline.
