The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has raised concerns about the high percentage of unqualified teachers in private schools across the South-west states of the country.
According to the regulatory body, over 90% of private school teachers in the region lack the qualifications required to register with the council. News About Nigeria reports.
TRCN Registrar, Professor Josiah Ajiboye, expressed his worries at a recent event in Abuja where the council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Instill Education, a South African-based educational organization. The MoU aims to upskill in-service teachers in Nigeria, with a pilot phase expected to start soon.
Professor Ajiboye emphasized that the MoU has three major components that identify the gaps in teacher training, including pre-service teachers, integrating pre-service with in-service teachers, and capacity-building programs.
He expressed confidence that the involvement of Instill Education would bridge the gap between pre-service and in-service teachers.
The TRCN registrar also revealed that a survey carried out by the council showed that over 90% of teachers in private schools in the Southwest are not qualified and cannot be registered with the TRCN.
He said the lack of qualifications among these teachers is a significant concern and emphasized that there is a need to upskill in-service teachers to improve the quality of education.
The Dean of Operation at Instill Education, Mr Tom Parry, assured the TRCN of his organization’s commitment to upskilling in-service teachers.
He said the training received through his organization would always end with a practical applicable component so that teachers have an opportunity to practice and understand.
Mr Parry lamented that 90% of learners in Africa cannot read for meaning by the end of primary school while 30% of primary teachers and 50% of secondary teachers are unqualified.
He added that it is essential to recognize these realities to address them.
The TRCN Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Mr Ugo-Ali Lawrence, revealed that the Council first met with representatives of Instill Education in November 2022.
He said since 2015, the organization has delivered over 1.5 million hours of professional development, coaching, and mentoring sessions to about 100,000 teachers and school leaders across five countries, including Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and India.
The TRCN and Instill Education collaboration provides hope for the upskilling of Nigerian teachers, with a particular focus on in-service teachers. With this partnership, the regulatory body hopes to address the gaps in teacher training in the country and improve the quality of education.
