Patience Tarhemba
The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), has uncovered 250 suspected fake teaching certificates during a recruitment exercise involving about 1,000 prospective teachers in a state in the country.
The discovery has raised concerns over the use of forged academic and professional qualifications by individuals seeking employment in Nigeria’s education sector.
The Registrar and Chief Executive of TRCN, Dr Ronke Soyombo, disclosed this while monitoring the ongoing computer-based Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) at Redeemer’s TEAP International School in Abuja.
Soyombo said the discovery underscored the need for stricter verification of teachers’ credentials to prevent unqualified individuals from gaining access to classrooms and undermining educational standards.
She said the council was strengthening its verification mechanisms to identify and eliminate fraudulent certificates.
As part of the measures, TRCN has introduced certificates embedded with Quick Response (QR) codes, enabling employers to authenticate teachers’ qualifications directly through the council’s online portal.
According to her, the technology will simplify the verification process and make it more difficult for applicants to present forged documents during recruitment.
The registrar also announced enhanced examination security measures, including randomised questions tailored to candidates’ different academic qualifications.
She explained that the arrangement would help curb examination malpractice among candidates with PhD degrees, first degrees and Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) qualifications sitting for the examination at the same centre.
On the government’s professional licensing target, Soyombo said 75 per cent of teachers were expected to be licensed by the end of 2026, while all teachers must obtain the requisite professional certification before entering classrooms by December 2027.
She emphasised that academic qualifications alone were insufficient to establish an individual’s suitability for teaching, noting that professional competence also required effective classroom instruction, child safeguarding and digital literacy.
Soyombo further disclosed that previous assessments conducted through the PQE had exposed significant weaknesses in mathematics among teachers across the country.
She said the council was collaborating with relevant education agencies to develop targeted training programmes to address the identified deficiencies and improve teaching quality.
Providing an update on the council’s registration drive, the registrar revealed that the number of registered teachers increased from 13,000 in May 2025 to 26,000 in November 2025.
She added that approximately 21,000 candidates were sitting for the 2026 Professional Qualifying Examination nationwide, with results expected to be released electronically within one week after the examination.
Some candidates described the computer-based examination as well organised.
One of them, Celestina Adejo, said the examination had broadened her understanding of child safeguarding and information and communications technology security.
A Nigerian Navy education officer, Ebi Mustapha, and an experienced teacher, Esther Ali, who has spent 27 years in the classroom, said they participated in the examination to validate their professional competence. They also encouraged other teachers to obtain the required certification.
However, another candidate, Benjamin Edet, suggested that examination slips should contain candidates’ assigned centres and schedules to minimise delays associated with checking such information through WhatsApp groups and external links.
The centre’s CBT Coordinator and ICT Administrator, Ann Ogbu, said adequate arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination, including backup power supply and additional computers.
She disclosed that the facility was equipped with a 60kVA solar system, a 250kVA generator and 20 standby computers.
Soyombo urged candidates to shun examination malpractice and fraudulent practices, assuring that the council would sustain its digital verification systems and stricter professional assessments to safeguard the integrity of the teaching profession.
The disclosure comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to strengthen professional standards in the education sector and make certification mandatory for all teachers entering Nigerian classrooms.
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