Mass Teacher Registrations: Nigeria

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN, www.trcn.gov.ng) an agency of the Federal Ministry of Education is the only body in Nigeria charged with the regulation and control of the teaching profession at all levels of the Nigerian educational system, in both public and private sectors. TCRN remit extends to qualified teachers (including non-Nigerians) who obtain their teaching qualifications abroad who then teach in Nigeria.

Qualified teachers (with teaching qualifications) and registration

By law, local and expatriate qualified teachers are required to register with the TCRN before they embark on teaching in any Nigerian educational institution.

Deadline for those who have not registered and lack teaching qualifications

Initially deadline was 2003 but TRCN extended the deadline to 2006 for all schools to comply with the regulatory body in recognition that unqualified teachers needed time to be certified and registered.

What about unqualified teachers (those with teaching qualifications) post 2006?

Riplington & Associates advises that unqualified teachers should be supported by obtaining a teaching qualification and we can provide relevant information on national/international (long distance) part/full time certified teaching qualifications. However, Riplington & Associates must point out that by law it is illegal to employ unqualified and unregistered.

Why does Riplington & Associates endorse teacher registration in Nigeria?

Riplington & Associates support this initiative as it is a database of registered qualified teachers and contributes to national plans to aid professional development by teachers undertaking qualifying exams each year. Further, educational institutions can contact the TCRN (one in every geo-political zone) to ascertain whether a person is a qualified teacher and verify if there has  been a complaint lodged against this person. In Nigeria, this serves as a tool to implement some form of child protection. However, the service will only work if educational institutions adhere to this policy and report teachers to the TRCN via their teachers’ investigative panel - in every state (including the FCT)  who then carry out an investigation which may result in that particular teacher being suspended, deregistered and exonerated etc. The outcome will however be recorded against their registration number.

Riplington & Associates registration service

Further to the enquiries regarding the information above, Riplington & Associates are now offering educational institutions an express service (14 days) where they can register qualified teachers in their institutions as a collective.

**Schools may contact The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria directly to register their teachers themselves.

For more information please email the Administrative Assistant