13,000 teachers sit for renewal exam nationwide

Approximately 13,000 teachers took part in the May session of the Teachers’ Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) organized by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) across the country.

The PQE is a compulsory test for teachers seeking registration and licensing to practice teaching in Nigeria, aimed at ensuring a baseline of professional competence.

Acting Registrar of TRCN, Stella Nwokeocha, who supervised the exam at the National Open University of Nigeria’s Computer-Based Test Centre in Wuse II, Abuja, revealed that 594 candidates wrote the exam at that centre alone, while the total nationwide figure stood close to 13,700.

She reported that the exercise ran smoothly in all test centres, though the exam dates were adjusted in some states due to clashes with the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

“Reports from the various centres confirm that the exams were conducted without any issues. Some states, including Lagos and those in the South East, rescheduled their exams to accommodate the UTME timetable. For example, some candidates will write on Sunday and others, like in Enugu, will write on Wednesday,” Nwokeocha explained.

Also present at the Abuja venue, TRCN Governing Board Chairman Dr. Saliu Mustapha commended the smooth administration of the exam and the high turnout of participants.

Describing the PQE as a vital tool for enhancing the teaching profession, Mustapha highlighted ongoing initiatives led by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, to leverage technology in eliminating unqualified teachers from classrooms.

“We are pushing for a fully IT-based system, building a comprehensive teacher database. Eventually, parents will be able to verify a teacher’s credentials online to ensure they are qualified to teach their children,” he said.

The Minister of Education’s representative, Ismaila Adiatu, also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exams.

Meanwhile, TRCN’s Director of Certification and Licensing, Dr. Jacinta Ezeahurukwe, announced that the exam results are expected to be published within a week.

“As soon as our delegates return by Monday and Tuesday, we will begin processing the results. Management will review and approve the benchmarks before releasing the final results within the week,” she stated.