The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has expressed deep concern over the rising number of unqualified teachers in the country, describing the trend as a key factor contributing to the decline in educational standards. TRCN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ronke Soyombo, made the disclosure on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, The …
Registration Council Raises Alarm Over Rising Unqualified Teachers
The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has expressed deep concern over the rising number of unqualified teachers in the country, describing the trend as a key factor contributing to the decline in educational standards.
TRCN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ronke Soyombo, made the disclosure on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, The Morning Brief, held to mark the 2025 World Teachers’ Day. This year’s theme is “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession”.
Dr Soyombo lamented that many individuals currently teaching in schools across Nigeria lack the necessary qualifications to deliver effective learning outcomes, a situation she said is especially widespread in private institutions.
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“There are many unqualified teachers in the profession. We have those teaching in classrooms but don’t have the teaching qualifications, particularly in private schools,” she said.
While acknowledging that some people possess genuine passion for teaching, Soyombo noted that the absence of formal training and certification often limits their effectiveness in the classroom.
“It is one thing to attend a teacher’s college and another to understand how to break concepts down to suit students’ specific needs,” she explained.
The TRCN boss revealed that the Council currently has about 1.4 million registered teachers and aims to increase the number to 20 million within the next two years through system digitisation and accelerated registration processes.
“We have digitised our systems so that more people can register easily,” she said, emphasising that “every teacher has a gift, and when teachers collaborate in planning lessons, it produces richer outcomes than working in isolation.”
Dr Soyombo also highlighted the Council’s collaboration with the Federal Government to address the shortage of qualified teachers through an accelerated Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) programme.
“We are accelerating the PDE course to six months for experienced teachers without education degrees, enabling them to become certified and join the teaching workforce,” she explained.
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According to her, the initiative is expected to attract more professionals into the education sector while raising competence levels through continuous training and resource support.
“We are also supporting teachers with classroom resources and collaborative planning tools, which will help improve lesson quality and encourage others to join the profession,” she added.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in her World Teachers’ Day message on Sunday, praised teachers for their “invaluable contributions to nation-building”, describing them as “true heroes shaping minds, nurturing dreams, and guiding generations.”
She urged renewed national commitment to improving teachers’ welfare and professional development, noting that tackling the global shortage of qualified educators remains vital to strengthening the education system.
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