Nigeria’s education sector is set for a major transformation as the federal government has unveiled a policy making it mandatory for all secondary school teachers to be officially certified. According to authorities, schools employing uncertified teachers will no longer be accredited as venues for key national examinations, marking a decisive effort to professionalise teaching and improve education standards nationwide.
The directive, announced Thursday, September 11, 2025, is part of a renewed drive by the Ministry of Education to tackle long-standing concerns about unqualified teachers in the system. In an official communication addressed to the registrar and chief executive officer of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa highlighted that “the Federal Ministry of Education has directed that, in line with government policy to strengthen professionalism in the teaching profession, the accreditation of both Public and Private Secondary Schools for the conduct of public examinations (WASSCE, NABTEB, NECO & NBIAS) shall henceforth be contingent on the TRCN certification of teachers engaged in such schools.”
Timeline for Implementation: March 2027 Onwards
The new policy is set to take effect incrementally, starting with public and private secondary schools. As stated in the directive, “effective from March 2027 for WASSCE, May 2027 for NABTEB, June 2027 for NECO, and June 2027 for SAISSCE, any school whose teachers are not duly registered and licensed with the TRCN shall be disqualified from serving as an examination centre.”
Dr. Alausa elaborated that all state governments must take note of the new requirements and ensure that teachers in state-owned and private institutions obtain the necessary certification within two years from the date the directive was issued. This approach aims to give adequate time for compliance, while setting a clear path for education reform across Nigeria’s secondary schools.
Photo credit: Dr. Tunji Alausa @DrTunjiAlausa
Source: Twitter
Staged Compliance: Targets and Enforcement
Monitoring and enforcement are central to the policy’s success. Schools are expected to demonstrate at least a 75% compliance rate by 2026, reaching full compliance by 2027. Inspectors will visit schools to verify TRCN registration, and only those meeting the certification threshold will be cleared as approved examination centres. This plan is designed to ensure a smooth transition, while holding stakeholders accountable at every stage.
For teachers with non-education degrees who have at least one year of classroom experience, the government is offering a path to registration via an abridged professional certification programme through the National Teachers Institute (NTI). This initiative aims to bridge gaps for experienced educators who lack formal teaching credentials, while maintaining the drive for standardisation across the sector.
This NTI programme, as detailed by the ministry, includes short professional development courses lasting between three and six months. Successful participants will then qualify for TRCN registration and licensing, helping to avert potential teacher shortages during the transition.
Stakeholder Sensitisation and Priority
The Ministry of Education has underscored the urgency and “highest priority” for the directive, calling for wide stakeholder engagement and communication to avoid any disruption in public examination accreditation. All involved—state governments, school proprietors, and teachers—have been urged to act promptly to align with the new standards.
NECO Announces Changes to English Language Exam Structure
In a related development, the National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced a reduction in the number of questions for the English Language Paper III of the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). Starting with the 2026 internal exams, the questions will be slashed from 100 to 80, as part of efforts to streamline assessment and focus on core competencies. For details, see NECO’s official announcement.
Sunday K. Bolaji, the NECO State Coordinator for Osun, outlined that the updated English language exam format will now comprise six main sections. This step is seen as part of ongoing reforms to enhance exam quality and reduce unnecessary burdens on students.
Federal Government Crackdown on Exam Malpractice: Orders to Major Exam Bodies
Addressing concerns of examination malpractice, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has given fresh directives to major exam bodies, including JAMB, WAEC, NECO, and NABTEB, to take firmer action. The Minister of Education has specifically instructed these agencies to permanently blacklist both computer-based test (CBT) centres and candidates found guilty of exam irregularities.
These steps, authorities say, are necessary to safeguard the integrity of certificate examinations across Nigeria and ensure that qualifications issued reflect genuine academic achievement.
Implications for Teachers, Schools, and Students
For many stakeholders, these measures are both groundbreaking and challenging. Teachers who previously may have entered classrooms without formal training now face a deadline for regularisation. While the introduced NTI route provides a lifeline, adapting to certification requirements may require systemic support, especially in rural or under-resourced areas.
School administrators and proprietors, particularly in the private sector, will need to ensure that all teachers are eligible and prepared for TRCN certification to avoid loss of accreditation as exam centres. For parents and students, these new measures promise higher teaching standards but could also mean changes in school staffing and assessment procedures.
Perspectives and Comparative Insights
Educators’ unions and policy analysts have long advocated for a more professional teaching workforce to uplift Nigeria’s global education rankings. According to Dr. Mary Odion, an Abuja-based education consultant, “Standardising teacher qualification is the first step toward fixing disparities in learning outcomes between public and private schools. Ghana and several other West African countries have pursued similar teacher quality reforms with measurable improvements in student performance.”
Yet, some critics express concerns over the cost and logistical hurdles in onboarding thousands of teachers into certification programmes within the stipulated timeline. They call for increased government investment in teacher training and support, particularly at state levels, to ensure equitable implementation.
Looking Ahead: Potential Benefits and Next Steps
If successfully enacted, the reforms promise far-reaching benefits: improved teaching quality, higher pass rates in national exams, and greater trust in the value of Nigerian certificates in both local and international contexts.
With changes to both teacher accreditation and exam formats, the coming years will serve as a critical test for the resilience and adaptability of Nigeria’s education system. Stakeholders are called upon to monitor and participate in the reform process to ensure the intended outcomes are realised for students nationwide.
What’s your perspective on these sweeping changes to teacher certification and exam standards? Do you think these reforms will address core issues in Nigeria’s secondary education system? Drop your thoughts in the comments and stay tuned for updates as the story develops.
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