FG: From 2027, Only Schools With Certified Teachers Will Serve as Exam Centres

The Federal Government has directed that beginning in 2027, only secondary schools with certified teachers will be accredited to host public examinations in Nigeria.

The directive was issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in a memo to the Registrar/Chief Executive of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). The move, he explained, is part of government efforts to strengthen professionalism and quality assurance in the teaching profession.

Accreditation linked to TRCN certification
Starting from March 2027, schools whose teachers are not duly registered and licensed by TRCN will be barred from hosting national examinations such as WASSCE, NECO, NABTEB, and SAISSCE. The Ministry has set a compliance timeline, with schools expected to achieve at least 75% certification by 2026 and 100% by 2027.

Dr. Alausa also directed state governments to align with the policy and put measures in place to ensure compliance in both public and private schools.

Abridged pathway for teachers
To support schools and teachers, the government has introduced an abridged professional certification route for non-education graduates with at least one year of teaching experience. Such teachers are required to enrol in short professional courses (3–6 months) at the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), after which they can register and obtain TRCN licensing.

Digital registration and ethics framework
The policy follows recent reforms by the TRCN, including the launch of a digital portal for teacher registration, licensing, renewal, and professional development. The TRCN also streamlined its Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) to five core areas: literacy, foundational mathematics, pedagogy, digital literacy, and safeguarding.

Additionally, the government introduced a new mandatory ethics and criminal record screening system for teachers to curb impersonation, certificate forgery, and the recruitment of unqualified educators.

The Minister urged school administrators and teachers to give the directive the highest priority, warning that non-compliance could lead to disruption of examination accreditation from 2027.