A significant percentage of Nigerian teachers have failed the mandatory qualifying examination conducted by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), raising fresh concerns about the quality of education in the country.
According to the TRCN Director, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, 32% of candidates who sat for the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) in the latest cycle did not meet the required standards to be licensed as professional teachers.
Prof. Ajiboye disclosed the figures during an education stakeholders’ forum held in Abuja, noting that while a majority of candidates passed, the failure rate underscores the urgent need for capacity building and continuous professional development among educators.
“We are making progress, but the fact that nearly one-third of the candidates failed shows that a lot more work needs to be done to raise the bar in the teaching profession,” Ajiboye said. “The PQE is designed not just to test knowledge, but to ensure that only competent and qualified individuals are entrusted with educating our children.”
The TRCN examination is a mandatory certification process for teachers in Nigeria, aimed at professionalizing teaching and ensuring adherence to global standards. Those who pass receive a license to practice, while those who fail must re-sit the exam.
Education advocates say the failure rate may reflect systemic issues within Nigeria’s teacher training institutions and call for greater investment in teacher education and mentoring programs.
“This is a wake-up call,” said Dr. Hadiza Musa, an education consultant. “If we want to raise learning outcomes in our schools, we must start with better training and support for our teachers.”
The TRCN director assured the public that measures are being taken to review curriculum standards in teacher training colleges and to collaborate more closely with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and other stakeholders to improve teaching quality across all levels.
The next cycle of the TRCN qualifying examination is scheduled for later this year, with thousands of candidates expected to participate.
source: thenationonlineng.net
