Josiah Ajiboye, registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has applauded the efforts of the council in getting teaching professionalised, despite a marginal increase in the number of teachers registered with the council so far.
Ajiboye, who is also the chief executive officer at TRCN told BusinessDay that the council provides leadership in teacher regulatory matters in Africa and is also a big global player.
As regard the low number of teachers registered by the council since 2019 especially teachers at the tertiary cadre, he said that TRCN’s main focus has always been on teachers at basic and senior secondary education levels.
“TRCN provides leadership in teacher regulatory matters in Africa and we are a big global player as well. TRCN certificate and licence are recognised worldwide for the purpose of employment of teachers without any further examinations for such applicants.
“Our main focus has been on teachers at basic and senior secondary education levels with a strong conviction that if we get it right at those levels, it won’t be difficult to fix it at the top,” he said.
Between 2019 to 2022 the number of teachers registered by TRCN rose from 2,227,229 to 2,406,522 about a 0.9 percent increase for all the levels including administrative personnel.
In 2019, 1,383,972 primary school teachers were registered, the number rose to 1,408,511 ( 1.8 percent ) in 2020 while in 2021 it moved to 1,445,480 (2.62 percent), and in 2022, 1,469,528 teachers ( 1.66 percent) were registered.
At the secondary school level, 532,280 teachers were registered in 2019, 546,681 teachers in 2020, 573,670 teachers in 2021, and 590,161in 2022 respectively.
The professor of Social Studies and Environmental Education revealed that the mobilisation and awareness creation of TRCN was to get teachers at the lower levels professionalised first, then others will follow later.
“Our mobilisation and awareness creation was to get teachers at the lower levels professionalised first, then others will follow later. Suffice it to say that it is now mandatory for lecturers in colleges of education to get registered and licenced with the TRCN,” he said.
He maintained that the goal is to remove quackery in the teaching profession to ensure that only those with the required competencies give Nigerian child quality education.
Ajiboye reiterated that the surge in the number of Nigerian teachers going to teach abroad is a testimony to the efficiency and effectiveness of the TRCN as a teaching regulatory body.
TRCN had on December 31, 2019, mandated that the deadline issued by the federal government to phase out quacks from the teaching profession in the country is sacrosanct. Hence, all teachers must register with the council or be phased out.
Ajiboye expressed confidence that the quest to reposition the teaching profession from a normal scheme of service to a new level will give teachers their own specialised scheme of service whereby they will be motivated and able to enjoy the benefits of their services and ultimately be motivated to do better in the profession.
BusinessDay findings in this regard reveal that many teachers especially those in public schools are massively benefitting from this exercise.
Olarenwaju Dagold, a certified teacher believes the introduction of TRCN has improved teachers greatly and brought professionalism to the educational sector.
Ajayi Ukamaka, a teacher with the Lagos State government said the introduction of TRCN has made the teaching profession better now because teachers are getting certificates to travel abroad.
However, some teachers especially those in the private sector seem not to be satisfied by the efforts of the council to regulate the profession.
Benedicta Eboh, a professional teacher told BusinessDay that TRCN is not doing the needful as the system is still the old thing.
“It is still the old story as the management of TRCN is not doing the needful,” she said.
Elizabeth Ohaka, a certified early childhood educator, said the impact of TRCN has not been felt as expected.
“It is the same old story; many teachers are still not certified. The impact has not been felt, honestly,” she said.
Teaching is a scientific process that entails the methodical scheduling and coordination of instruction, skills, and the use of technological tools that could assist learners in acquiring new and valuable knowledge, experiences, and competencies.
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This could be why teachers remain the gateway and key input in the educational system and the school, determining learners’ academic performance. Teaching is a process that helps students gain knowledge, develop attitudes, and learn skills that will help them make notable progress.
The TRCN teaching license refers to the legally backed teaching credential that every teacher willing to practice in the Nigerian education sector must possess.
Obtaining this teaching license as approved by the TRCN is mandatory for all teachers. Teachers holding this license are open to a variety of opportunities within the context of the teaching profession in the country, for instance; it is becoming a potent prerequisite for workplace (school) recruitment and promotion.
