The Federal Ministry of Education has restructured the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in a bid to strengthen teacher professionalism and improve education standards nationwide.

In a statement released on Sunday via its official X account, the ministry announced that all teachers in Nigeria must now be registered with TRCN before they are allowed to teach.

Under the new arrangement, NTI will focus exclusively on in-service training and Community Professional Development programmes, while TRCN will be responsible for the regulation and licensing of teachers across the country.

Education Minister Dr. Maruf Alausa also unveiled fresh guidelines for both agencies, which cover teacher registration, professional development, compliance monitoring, welfare, and curriculum standards.

“No teacher will stand before a Nigerian classroom without TRCN registration and licensing. This guarantees competent and professional teaching for every child,” Alausa said.

He added that the reform is focused on results and sustainability, assuring that Nigerian children will be taught and supported by highly qualified professionals.

The minister also reminded schools of Thursday’s directive warning that from 2027, accreditation of public and private secondary schools as centres for public examinations — including WASSCE, NABTEB, NECO, and NBIAS — will depend on whether their teachers are TRCN-certified.