The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to begin the enforcement and monitoring of compliance with her directive that only qualified and professionals licensed by the Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) teach in both public and private schools nationwide in the country.
The Registrar TRCN, Professor Segun Ajiboye, stated this in Ibadan while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday.
He added that the first phase of the compliance monitoring and documentation will take place nationwide between March 9 and 17.
Ajiboye further informed that the “task force has been activated to beam searchlight into the credentials of those teaching in government and private schools for appropriate commendation or sanction as the case may be.”
It would be recalled that the National Council on Education had declared December 31, 2019, as the last day for unlicensed teachers to be registered with the TRCN or get booted out of the classroom.
Ajiboye, then, maintained that no serious nation allows her future leaders to be misguided by quacks noting that “the Buhari led administration has a dream to ensure professional teachers are given necessary tools to excel.”
ALSO READ: Expert wants intensified awareness on HPV related cancers in Nigeria
In a related development, Ajiboye says TRCN takes exception to States recruiting teachers and treating her license as “added advantage” saying that TRCN certification is a must criterion of employment.
According to him, “TRCN Commences Compliance Monitoring across the country. As the December 31, 2019 deadline given by the National Council on Education for anybody who wants to practise as a teacher in the country to get qualified, registered and licensed by TRCN has passed, the regulatory authority is embarking on verification of compliance in all the States of the Federation and FCT.
“The exercise is however put on hold in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States due to the challenges there. The TRCN team in each state will be led by a Professor of Education or a Provost of a College of Education. The first leg of the exercise will start on March 9 and end on the 17th.
“However, this exercise will be a continuous one as TRCN has created a Compliance & Enforcement Unit at its head office for routine monitoring. Prior to the commencement of the monitoring, a technical team was set up by TRCN and a meeting was held with all the State Coordinators where issues of logistics were discussed and harmonised.
“TRCN takes exception to some States making TRCN Certificate optional in their recruitment of teachers. This practice must stop because it is mandatory for anyone who wants to profit from the job of a teacher to be registered with the regulatory authority. It is therefore considered absurd for any State to say ‘TRCN Certificate will be an added advantage’. Whereas that is supposed to be the number one criterion. This is the global best practice. There is no serious Nation that allow just anybody into its classrooms to teach their children. There must be evidence of professional certification to practice as a teacher.”
and then