Nigeria implements teacher licensing programme amid promotion disputes

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has endorsed the Federal Government’s Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway (ATPP). This initiative aims to provide a licensing route for over 250,000 unqualified teachers currently serving in public and private schools. The six-month programme offers two tracks: a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) for graduates and a Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) for National Diploma holders, utilizing blended learning models.

Separately, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has protested a “vacancy precondition” implemented by the FCT Civil Service Commission. The union claims that a new promotion timetable indicates “no vacancy” for education officers moving from Grade Level 14 to higher levels. The NUT describes this policy as a threat to career progression that could lead to teacher stagnation and demoralization, calling it an “assault” on the teaching profession.