The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, on Friday, 25th July 2025, inaugurated the newly constituted 5th Governing Council of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, with a bold directive to urgently eliminate unqualified teachers from Nigerian classrooms.
The Minister charged the Council to see their appointment not as ceremonial but as a rescue mission to restore the dignity and standards of the teaching profession. “This is not business as usual. You must completely eliminate the presence of unqualified teachers from our classrooms. Revoke licenses of those who tarnish the dignity of the profession. Every Nigerian child deserves a certified professional—with no exceptions,” he declared.
Emphasising that the inauguration was not merely a statutory formality, Alausa described it as a significant step in the Federal Government’s drive to raise educational standards, anchored on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He noted that the Ministry would evaluate the Council’s performance against Key Performance Indicators quarterly—stressing there would be no excuses or extensions.
Dr. Alausa underscored the centrality of qualified teachers to national development. “Good teachers are like good ingredients—essential for preparing a tasty and nutritious dish,” he said, adding that quality teachers produce students who can thrive locally and compete globally.
He urged the Council to draw inspiration from best global practices, such as Finland’s high regard for educators. “No education system can rise above the quality of its teachers. We must strive toward that ethos here in Nigeria, where our teachers are celebrated not just as facilitators of knowledge, but as nation builders.”
In his remarks, Chairman of the Council, Barrister Dr. Mustapha Salihu, pledged full commitment to the Council’s mandate and called attention to the role of moral instruction in education. “Teaching on morality is the bedrock of education,” he stated. He also appealed to the government to address staff welfare and ensure implementation of the national minimum wage for TRCN staff.
Earlier, in her welcome address, the Registrar of TRCN described the inauguration as timely and long overdue. “This is the day we have been waiting for,” she said, urging council members to stay focused and diligent.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Director of Human Resource Management at TRCN, Dr. Stella Maria Nwokocha, expressed appreciation to the Minister for his leadership and support.
The Inaugurationn concluded with appeal to the education community to accept TRCN as their heritage “To our teachers nationwide: This is your Council. Own it.”
Signed
Boriowo Folasade
Director Press and Public Relations
