Schools under pressure: FG’s tough exam accreditation rules spark fears – Businessday NG

… as FG mandates 75 percent TRCN teacher threshold by Dec.11

Nigeria’s private schools are facing a fresh regulatory test as the federal government tightens the screws on examination accreditation and raises the bar for teacher professionalism.

With concerns mounting over the cost, capacity and implications of the new requirements, school proprietors fear that what government presents as a drive to restore standards could become an existential challenge for many institutions.

The pressure has intensified with the directive requiring schools to meet a 75 percent Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN)-certified teacher threshold by December 11.

As stakeholders weigh the implications, questions are emerging over the readiness of private schools, the fate of teachers yet to secure professional certification and the wider impact on access to quality education.

Is this the regulatory push the sector needs, or could the pursuit of higher standards leave many schools struggling to survive?

Orji Kanu, president of the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), emphasised the need for the government to be fair with its policies.

“You don’t regulate institutions into debt; rather, you regulate them into thriving and advancement. The teaching profession must be regulated, but not by a necktie policy that will regulate the private sector out of business, bearing in mind that we have over 180 million out-of-school children,” he said.

Kanu urged the federal government to learn from Kenya and other countries, where governments augment the cost of schooling, including that of private schools.

“Based on free and compulsory education, which Nigeria claims to run, irrespective of whichever school a child attends, the government pays.

“By so doing, they’re empowering the school to meet whatever demand they are placing on the schools,” he noted.

Besides, he maintained that as far as the Nigerian government’s policy says that there is free and compulsory education for children, at least at the basic level, it means that the government has already planned how to implement that.

“The government must learn to balance its policy; for instance, it can say, let’s start from 25 percent, because this is the first time of implementing it; next year, it can move to 50 percent.

“The government should not jeopardise the school business and push more children out of school because the more they are looking for qualified and certified teachers, the more the school fees become,” he said.

However, Akintoye Hassan, Lagos State NUT chairman, described the policy as a welcome development if what the government means is to ensure the system is dominated by professionals.

“TRCN is to set standards, ensure the profession is dynamic like every other profession, where professionals within the system have guidance.

“We urge the TRCN and the government to come out with programmes and training to equip teachers who are subscribing for licensing; to balance it,” he said.

Gloria Akinsola, a teacher, applauded the policy intention, but decried the 75 percent benchmark, which she said may create hardship for many private and rural schools.

“A phased implementation, such as 50 percent by 2026 and 75 percent by 2027, would be more realistic.

“I support professionalism in teaching, but government should support teachers with subsidised certification and give schools more time to comply,” she emphasised.

Elizabeth Ohaka, proprietress of Redwood Academy, Lagos, said, “It’s the right thing to do even though we’re seeing a lot of scarcity of teachers these days, and with time this move will further escalate.

“I will advise that more time be allotted for the implementation of the policy.”

Christopher Nmeribe, a school owner, emphasised that the policy will force schools that do not have the 75 percent TRCN-certified teachers to look for ways to maneuver accreditation.

“They will register through other schools where supposedly this 75 percent is met; and this will lead to registering more students than the school will carry on the exam day.

“This will cause rowdiness and the whole place will be crowded, which might not allow exams to start at the scheduled time,” he noted.

Recall that the federal government had announced that private and public schools seeking accreditation to present candidates for national examinations will be required to meet a minimum threshold of 75 percent of teachers registered and licensed by TRCN before the end of 2026.

Bukola Dosunmu, coordinator at the Federal Ministry of Education-Government Private Sector Working Group, said, “At the meeting held on September 30, 2026, the following resolutions were reached on the harmonisation of examination timetables and teacher qualification requirements for examination centres.

“Starting in 2027, NECO examinations will be conducted before WAEC, and NECO results will also be released ahead of WAEC results to enable students to pursue their university admissions without unnecessary delays,” Dosunmu said in a statement.

In addition, the statement stated, “Schools accredited as examination centres are required to ensure that at least 75 percent of their teachers are TRCN-licensed by December 11, 2026.

“Compliance will be verified, and the details of schools that meet the requirement will be uploaded to the designated registration portal.

Schools that fail to meet this requirement will not be approved to serve as examination centres for any of the examinations.”

The 75 percent TRCN requirement for schools to be accredited for national examinations is believed to push schools, especially private schools, to employ trained professional teachers, not just anyone.

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