The Federal Government is set to train and professionalise 250,000 serving teachers without recognised teaching qualifications under a new six-month programme.
The initiative, known as the Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway, is expected to provide the affected teachers with professional credentials without removing them from the classroom.
The National Teachers’ Institute, which will coordinate the programme, announced the development in a statement on Friday.
The institute said the programme was designed to address the qualification gap among teachers, including those who are not professionally licensed by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
Under the scheme, teachers with university degrees in non-education disciplines will undergo a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, while those entering from the National Diploma level will take a Professional Diploma in Education.
The training will combine digital learning, virtual classes, assessments and practical teaching.
Unlike programmes where teaching practice is conducted in simulated environments, participants will be assessed in their actual schools.
The NTI said the programme would run for six months, with four months dedicated to intensive instruction and two months to teaching practice.
It said the practical component would be critical to ensuring that the programme produces improvements in classroom teaching rather than merely giving teachers new certificates.
Participants will be required to provide evidence of lessons taught, pupils’ work and supervisors’ assessments.
The NTI said its curriculum for both training routes had been reviewed and finalised, with about 40 experts from universities, colleges of education and relevant government agencies involved in developing the modules.
The institute will work with agencies including the Universal Basic Education Commission, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, National Senior Secondary Education Commission and National Universities Commission.
The programme is expected to be launched in October 2026 under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The NTI said the initiative would provide serving teachers without professional qualifications with a credible and affordable route to obtain TRCN-recognised qualifications while remaining in the classroom.
