FG Launches Initiative to Professionalise 250,000 Teachers

The Federal Government has mandated the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in Kaduna to coordinate the Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway (ATPP), an initiative aimed at professionalising 250,000 unqualified teachers in Nigeria. This initiative, supervised by Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, seeks to bridge qualification gaps in the basic education system.

The ATPP will provide a structured, affordable, and time-bound route for teachers to obtain professional qualifications recognized by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). The NTI, led by Director and Chief Executive Prof. Sadiya Sani Daura, will collaborate with several organizations, including the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

The program will not remove unqualified teachers from classrooms but will offer them a chance to gain necessary qualifications while continuing to teach. It will be delivered through two routes: a Postgraduate Diploma in Education for degree holders in non-education fields and a Professional Diploma in Education for those with National Diplomas, over a six-month period.