TRCN set to prosecute unregistered teachers nationwide

The Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria on Monday said it would soon prosecute teachers that failed to register with the council as required by law.
The council’s Registrar, Prof. Addison Wokocha, disclosed this during the first induction ceremony of graduates of the National Teachers’ Institute post Graduate Diploma in Education programmes and NCE of the 2010 to 2012 session, in Kaduna.
Wokocha said those teaching without obtaining licence or registering with the council risked prosecution and other penalties.
He recalled that the Federal Government had directed every teacher to register and obtain the minimum NCE certificate to qualify as teachers.
He said: “In 2011, TRCN with the support of various stakeholders and inputs from technical experts had developed the professional standards for Nigerian teachers.
“Arising from the prevalence of qualified but incompetent teachers, TRCN is poised to rigorously sensitise all stakeholders towards the implementation of these requirements in order to mitigate the negative effect of incompetent teachers in the school system.
“I therefore urge you to abide by the contents of these standards to avoid sanctions.”
The registrar added that the council had established the Teachers Investigative Panel and the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal to raise professional and ethical standards as well as productivity among teachers.
He, therefore, reiterated the council’s commitment towards promoting excellence in education through effective registration, certification, licensing, promotion of professionalism through accreditation, monitoring and supervision of teacher education programme.
On his part, the Director-General of NTI, Dr. Aminu Sharehu, said over 11,000 students had graduated from Kaduna campus of the institute between 2010 and 2012.
Sharehu said the institute has three Post Graduate Diploma in Education centres, 15 NCE centres and 17 Pivotal Teachers’ Training Programme centres as at December 2013.
He therefore urged the graduates and students of the institute to regard professional oath seriously in the drive to contribute immensely towards transforming education quality in the nation.
One of the graduates, Mohammed Yusuf, said the implementation of the policy by the government that required a minimum of NCE certificate had forced teachers to enrol and acquire more skills to enable them teach effectively.
Yusuf said the classroom was “no longer a dumping ground for applicants to camp until they get a better job, but a place to impart knowledge to students”.
He therefore called on the government to improve teachers welfare, which he said would increase the zeal, dedication and love for teaching among the teachers.