The Federal Government has ordered the immediate removal of unqualified teachers from classrooms across the country and directed the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) to revoke the licences of teachers found guilty of unethical conduct.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, issued the directive in Abuja on Wednesday while inaugurating the newly reconstituted Governing Council of the TRCN. He said the Ministry is committed to upholding professional standards and restoring integrity in the teaching profession.
“We will no longer tolerate mediocrity in our classrooms,” the Minister said. “The era where anyone can walk into a classroom and pose as a teacher without the requisite qualifications and certification is over.”
He emphasized that professionalism in teaching must be enforced, adding that the TRCN should not hesitate to withdraw licences from individuals who abuse the ethics of the profession.
“The Council must ensure that only qualified, competent, and certified teachers are allowed to teach. Teachers who fall short of expectations, especially those who violate professional codes, must be shown the way out,” he added.
Sununu also charged the new Council members to work with urgency and focus, especially on strengthening teacher education, licensing, and monitoring standards across public and private institutions.
He described teachers as the backbone of any thriving education system, noting that reforming the profession is critical to Nigeria’s broader development agenda.
In her remarks, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of TRCN, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for reconstituting the Governing Council. He assured that the Council would fully implement the Minister’s directives.
Ajiboye said the TRCN would intensify its monitoring and compliance efforts nationwide, in collaboration with relevant agencies, to ensure the quality of education delivery in Nigeria meets global standards.
