The Federal Government has warned that from 2027, secondary schools without certified teachers will no longer be allowed to serve as centres for public examinations.
The directive was issued in a memo by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, to the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). It requires all teachers in both public and private schools to be registered and licensed by the council.
Alausa said accreditation for WASSCE, NABTEB, NECO and SAISSCE would be tied to teacher certification. From March 2027 for WASSCE, May for NABTEB and June for NECO and SAISSCE, any school failing to comply will lose accreditation.
State governments have been asked to enforce the policy, with schools expected to achieve 75% compliance by 2026 and full compliance by 2027.
To ease compliance, teachers who are non-education graduates but have at least 12 months’ classroom experience can enrol in an abridged professional certification programme through the National Teachers Institute, lasting between three and six months.
The minister urged stakeholders to prioritise sensitisation, warning that failure to comply could disrupt examination accreditation.
