TRCN Board Chair Endorses PQE as Vital to Professionalizing Teaching

The Chairman of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) Governing Board, Dr. Saliu Mustapha, has described the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) as a crucial step in sanitising and professionalizing Nigeria’s teaching profession.

Speaking during a monitoring visit to the May 2025 PQE at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) CBT Centre in Abuja, Dr. Mustapha emphasized the need to ensure that only qualified teachers are allowed in classrooms.

He noted ongoing reforms in the education sector, including the development of an IT-driven platform by the Federal Ministry of Education to verify teachers’ qualifications.

This system, he explained, will enable parents to confirm the certification status of their children’s teachers, holding both educators and institutions accountable.

The initiative, he said, is part of Education Minister Dr. Morufu Alausa’s broader effort to eliminate unqualified teachers through technology.

Dr. Mustapha commended the smooth nationwide conduct of the PQE and applauded the impressive turnout of candidates, stressing that professional exams like the PQE are essential to upholding standards, particularly in private schools.

TRCN’s Acting Registrar, Stella Maria Nwokeocha, revealed that about 13,700 candidates sat for the exam nationwide, with 594 at the Abuja centre.

She noted the exercise went largely without hitches, though adjustments were made in a few states due to scheduling conflicts with the rescheduled UTME.

Also speaking, the Minister of Education’s representative, Ismaila Adiatu, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exam, praising its organization and transparency.
His remarks reaffirmed the government’s support for TRCN’s mission to maintain professionalism in teaching.

Meanwhile, TRCN’s Director of Certification and Licensing, Dr. Jacinta Ezeahurukwe, announced that the PQE results will be released within a week pending final collation and approval.

She also highlighted the need for increased funding to strengthen the council’s operations and sustain regulatory standards.