Nigeria requires 75% of private school teachers to be certified
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Business Day Nigeria
The Nigerian government requires private schools to have at least 75% of teachers certified by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria by 11 December. School owners fear the cost and compliance difficulties, while the Association for Formidable Educational Development calls for sustainable regulation, according to Business Day Nigeria.
The Nigerian federal government now requires private schools to have at least 75% of teachers certified by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), with a deadline of 11 December. The measure comes as part of tighter regulatory requirements linked notably to examination accreditation, according to Business Day Nigeria.
Orji Kanu, president of the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), is calling on the government to ease implementation to prevent some private schools from being weakened by the cost of certification. He proposes a progression to 25% in the first year, then 50% the following year, while calling on the state to contribute to funding private schools that educate children under free and compulsory basic education, according to Business Day Nigeria.
Kanu believes that immediate enforcement of the 75% threshold could increase school fees and push more children out of school. He is also calling on the government to draw lessons from Kenya, where the state contributes to schooling costs, including in private schools, according to Business Day Nigeria.
