The Federal Government has commenced preparations for a six-month programme aimed at professionalising about 250,000 serving teachers who do not have formal teaching qualifications.
The initiative, known as the Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway (ATPP), will be coordinated by the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education. It is scheduled to be launched in October 2026.
The programme is designed to provide serving teachers with a structured route to obtain professional qualifications recognised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), while allowing them to remain in their classrooms during the programme.
According to the Federal Government, the initiative is intended to address qualification gaps among teachers already working in Nigerian schools and strengthen professional standards within the education sector.
The ATPP will operate through two qualification routes. Teachers who hold university degrees in disciplines other than education will pursue a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), while eligible teachers with National Diploma qualifications will follow the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) pathway.
Both programmes will run for six months, comprising four months of blended instruction and two months of supervised teaching practice. The learning model will combine digital learning, facilitated sessions, assessments and practical classroom experience.
The practical component will involve mentors and supervisors assessing teachers in their actual classroom environments. Lesson delivery, pupils’ work and other evidence of classroom practice will form part of the assessment process.
The Federal Government said the programme would not be designed to remove non-professional teachers from classrooms. Instead, it will provide them with an opportunity to acquire the qualifications and professional recognition required to meet established teaching standards.
The NTI will work with agencies including the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), TRCN, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) and other relevant institutions to implement the programme nationwide.
The official ATPP platform states that successful participants will be required to complete their programme requirements, pass teaching practice and sit the TRCN Professional Qualifying Examination before being recommended for registration at the appropriate category.
The initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader education reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, with the stated objective of improving teacher competence, professional standards and learning outcomes across Nigeria.
