FG Launches Program to Train 250,000 Unqualified Teachers

The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched the Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway (ATPP), a six-month program aimed at training 250,000 teachers who currently lack professional teaching qualifications. The initiative, coordinated by the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) under the supervision of Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa, seeks to professionalize non-professional teachers and bridge qualification gaps in Nigeria's basic education system.

The NTI, led by Prof Sadiya Sani Daura, will collaborate with various educational bodies, including the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). The ATPP will offer two qualification routes: a Postgraduate Diploma in Education for teachers with degrees in non-education fields and a Professional Diploma in Education for those with National Diplomas.

The program will utilize self-paced digital content, virtual sessions, and verified teaching practice in the teachers' own schools. The curriculum has been developed by a national panel of experts, and the program aims to empower teachers without removing them from their classrooms.