FG Blames Private School Owners for Hiring Unqualified Teachers

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has accused some private school owners of compromising the quality of education by employing unqualified teachers.

The TRCN is a federal agency that regulates and controls the teaching profession at all levels, both in the public and private sectors.

The registrar of the TRCN, Prof Josiah Ajiboye, said in an interview with Sunday PUNCH that some private school owners were allegedly hiring quacks as teachers to maximise profit.

He said that a survey conducted by a consultant working with the TRCN revealed that about 90 per cent of teachers in private schools in the South-West were not registered with the council.

He said that this situation might be worse in other parts of the country, where the prevalence of unqualified teachers in private schools could be higher. He contrasted this with the public schools, where he said a large percentage of teachers were well-trained and qualified.

Ajiboye urged the private school teachers to get qualified by registering for Postgraduate Diploma in Education or Professional Diploma in Education, depending on their qualifications, to make them eligible for registration and certification by the TRCN. He said that this would enhance their professionalism and competence.

He also called on the state governments to vet the list of teachers before registering new schools. He said that this would ensure that only qualified, registered and licensed teachers are employed by private schools. He said that the TRCN had embarked on enlightenment campaigns among private school owners to discourage quackery and promote quality education.

However, the president of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Abayomi Otubela, disagreed with the TRCN, saying that all approved private school teachers were qualified.

He said that the TRCN might be referring to illegal schools that operate without approval. He said that the government should establish more schools to cater to the increasing population of Nigerian children. He said that private participation in education was a welcome development, but commercialisation should be avoided.

The issue of unqualified teachers in private schools is a serious one that needs to be addressed.

The government, private school proprietors, and parents all have a role to play in ensuring that only qualified teachers are employed in private schools.

By working together, we can help to improve the quality of education in Nigeria and give all children the opportunity to succeed.

Newsflash Nigeria is an online newspaper that is developed and written exclusively for Nigerians. It’s packed with up-to-the-minute Local and National Economy News, Share & Capital Market, Health, Sports, Education, Technology, Business and Opinions.

To make further advert enquiries or place an order, please contact us at [email protected] and +2348053316946 and WhatsApp number 08033546732