Nigeria to employ First Class, Second Class Upper graduates as teachers

The federal government has declared that teachers without requisite qualifications and practicing license will be removed from the Nigeria Teaching Service.

The government said henceforth, First Class and Second Class Upper graduates will get teaching jobs.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono made this known on Saturday in Abuja.

He spoke while monitoring the conduct of the 2020 October Diet Batch B Teachers’ Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE).

“By 2021, we will not engage teachers if they don’t meet particular threshold. We are now limiting entry point of teaching only to the best who are qualified. We will engage individuals with second class upper and first class divisions,” he said.

The official disclosed that arrangements will be made for conversion programmes for such graduates.

Echono said since most studied in fields not related to teaching, they need to learn pedagogy and methodology through the National Teachers Institute (NTI) and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

“They will undergo specific programmes that will empower them to teach. We must enforce Mr. President’s directive that only qualified teachers will be allowed into our classrooms,” he added.

Echono assured that teachers will get better remuneration with peculiar allowances.

The Permanent Secretary announced that the government was finalising figures with National Income Salaries and Wages.

He confirmed that the National Implementation Committee on Teachers’ Revitalization/Resuscitation Plan will be inaugurated this month.