THE Registrar, Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, has called for the amendment of the Act that set up the Council, so as to enhance its efficiency. The call was contained in a document presented to the National Assembly titled: The Retooling Required for Basic Education into the Future. In the document, the Council is seeking a change of name to the Teachers’ Regulatory Council of Nigeria.
According to Ajiboye, the change would ensure that nobody gets into teaching without proper certification by the regulatory authority. “This will be a sure way of promoting qualitative basic education. It will also help reflect TRCN’s regulatory functions like other professional/regulatory bodies other than registration and licensing of teachers. Registration is limited in meaning and scope covering only a minute aspect as a whole.
“Being a regulatory council will enhance efficiency and ensure professionalism thereby checkmating the activities of quacks parading themselves as teachers and also curtailing the falling standards of education in the country,” he said.
Ajiboye also suggested paying special attention to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM education and also giving teachers in rural areas incentives to make staying in such places attractive and conducive.
He recalled that the process of amending the Act was almost concluded by the 8th National Assembly, as the amendment bill had passed through the second reading and public hearing stage.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, promised to do everything possible to ensure that the TRCN Act is amended to reflect its mandate in full.
