Get Certified Teachers or Lose WAEC, NECO Accreditation

The Federal Government has directed Secondary Schools in Nigeria to ensure their teachers are properly certified, warning that non-compliant schools will lose their accreditation to serve as examination centers for national exams like WAEC and NECO.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced this directive in a memo issued on Thursday, September 11, 2025, to the Registrar/Chief Executive of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

According to the memo, effective from March 2027 for WASSCE, May 2027 for NABTEB, June 2027 for NECO, and June 2027 for SAISSCE, any school whose teachers are not duly registered and licensed with the TRCN shall be disqualified from serving as an examination center.

The directive is aimed at strengthening professionalism in the teaching profession and improving the quality of education in Nigeria.

Teachers must be registered and licensed with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

Schools are expected to achieve a minimum compliance rate of 75% by 2026 and full compliance of 100% by 2027.

To facilitate compliance, teachers who are non-education graduates but possess at least 12 months of classroom teaching experience can enroll in the National Teachers Institute’s abridged professional certification programme, which lasts between three to six months.

The Federal Government will monitor compliance with this directive, and State Governments have been urged to put in place necessary measures to ensure all teachers in State-owned and Private Secondary Schools obtain the requisite TRCN certification within the stipulated two years.

The Minister of Education emphasized the need for wide sensitization of stakeholders across the country to avoid disruption of accreditation for public examinations.

This move follows concerns over the high number of unqualified teachers in Nigerian schools, and the Government’s efforts to restore credibility to the Nation’s education system.

By enforcing certification requirements, the Government aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Secondary Schools.