The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has pledged its backing for the Federal Government’s Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway (ATPP), a six‑month programme aimed at licensing more than 250,000 teachers who are currently teaching without recognised professional qualifications.
Under the ATPP, teachers who finish the prescribed course and pass the ATPP examination will be eligible to sit for the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) run by TRCN. Successful candidates will then be registered and issued professional teaching licences.
The programme will run in cohorts and is designed for untrained teachers in both public and private schools. It offers two tracks: a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) for graduates of non‑education disciplines and a Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) for those holding National Diplomas. Participants will complete four months of blended learning—self‑paced online modules, virtual facilitation and assessments—followed by two months of supervised teaching practice in their own schools.
TRCN will lead the rollout in partnership with the National Teachers’ Institute in Kaduna, while the Universal Basic Education Commission, National Senior Secondary Education Commission, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council and National Commission for Colleges of Education provide additional support. A Technical Working Group, chaired by Minister of State for Education Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, coordinates the effort.
The initiative comes amid concerns that many teachers hold subject‑area academic qualifications but lack formal teacher training and licences, limiting their professional recognition, career progression and exposing them to regulatory sanctions. The ATPP offers a structured route for these educators to gain the required training without leaving their jobs.
TRCN said the programme fee covers certification and licensing, providing an integrated pathway from professional training to registration. The ATPP is expected to reach about 250,000 teachers nationwide, with participants mapped across federal, state and local government levels.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
