morganable news/education
Unlike previous reform efforts that often sidelined unqualified teachers, the Federal Government emphasised that the ATPP would not remove participants from classrooms but instead support them to improve their competence while continuing to teach.
KaNo—
The Federal Government has commenced preparations to train 250,000 serving teachers across Nigeria who currently lack professional teaching qualifications, in what authorities describe as a major step toward improving education standards and strengthening the country’s basic education system.
The initiative, known as the Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway, is a six-month programme designed to equip non-professional teachers with recognised credentials while allowing them to remain in the classroom.
In a statement issued on Friday, the National Teachers’ Institute said it had been mandated to coordinate the programme under the supervision of the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
According to the institute, the programme is expected to engage about 250,000 teachers nationwide and aims to address a long-standing structural challenge within Nigeria’s education sector, where many educators have been teaching without formal professional certification.
The institute noted that the situation had raised concerns among policymakers and stakeholders, particularly because a significant number of affected teachers are neither licensed by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria nor compliant with its professional standards.
Describing the intervention as both urgent and necessary, the NTI said the “sole aim of the ATPP is to drive the Federal Government’s intention to professionalise non-professional Nigerian teachers and bridge their qualification gaps.”
NTI To Coordinate Program
The programme will be coordinated by the NTI under the leadership of its Director and Chief Executive, Sadiya Sani Daura, who will oversee implementation alongside key education agencies.
These include the Universal Basic Education Commission, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, the National Senior Secondary Education Commission, and the National Universities Commission, among others.
Officials said the collaboration is intended to ensure a unified approach to curriculum delivery, quality assurance and certification.
Unlike previous reform efforts that often sidelined unqualified teachers, the government emphasised that the ATPP would not remove participants from classrooms but instead support them to improve their competence while continuing to teach.
“The programme is designed to fill an existing gap without phasing out these teachers from the classroom,” the statement said. “It will empower and professionalise them.”
The ATPP will be delivered through two main pathways.
The first is the Postgraduate Diploma in Education for teachers who already hold degrees in non-education fields. The second is the Professional Diploma in Education for those entering from the National Diploma cadre.
Both tracks will adopt a blended learning approach, combining self-paced digital modules with virtual sessions, structured assessments and supervised teaching practice.
Education officials explained that the teaching practice component would be conducted in participants’ own schools rather than in simulated environments, allowing for real-time evaluation of classroom performance.
“The teaching practice component is most likely to determine whether the pathway produces a change in the classroom or merely a change in paperwork,” the institute said.
To ensure effectiveness, the practicum will include mentor and supervisor engagement, documented lesson delivery, pupils’ work assessments and formal sign-offs by supervisors.
The programme will run for six months, with four months dedicated to intensive instruction and the remaining two months focused on teaching practice.
Authorities said academic preparations for the initiative are already at an advanced stage.
Experts Review Curriculum, Training Routes
Curriculum frameworks for both training routes have been reviewed, validated and finalised by a national panel of about 40 content experts drawn from universities, colleges of education and relevant agencies.
Module development, according to the NTI, reflects contributions from multiple stakeholders, including the NTI, TRCN, UBEC and NERDC, ensuring alignment with national education standards.
The programme architecture has also been mapped across federal, state and local government levels, with ongoing work focusing on refining the digital curriculum delivery system and strengthening partnerships with implementing institutions.
Explaining the adoption of a blended learning model, the institute noted that the approach was driven by necessity rather than preference, given the scale of the programme and the need to reach teachers across diverse locations.
The Federal Government is expected to formally launch the ATPP in October 2026 as part of its broader Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises education reform and improved learning outcomes.
FG Unveils Financial Sustainability Strategy For Universities
In a related development, the government has also unveiled a new strategy aimed at improving the financial sustainability and global competitiveness of Nigerian universities.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of a training session under the National University Advancement Programme, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening higher education institutions through innovative funding mechanisms.
The programme focuses on enhancing alumni engagement, building strategic partnerships and promoting institutional fundraising to complement government funding.
According to a statement issued by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, the initiative is designed to create additional pathways for universities to secure resources for research, infrastructure and scholarships.
Alausa stressed that the programme is not intended to replace government support but to reinforce it by enabling universities to tap into alternative funding sources.
“The National University Advancement Programme is not intended to replace government support for higher education,” he said.
“Rather, it complements existing investments by creating additional pathways for sustainability, innovation, research support, scholarships and long-term institutional growth.”he added.
The minister added that Nigerian universities must strengthen internal systems, build partnerships and actively engage alumni networks to unlock new opportunities.
Under the programme, Advancement Offices will be established across federal universities and inter-university centres to serve as hubs for alumni relations, donor engagement, endowment management and strategic communications.
Education analysts say the dual focus on teacher professionalisation and university sustainability reflects a comprehensive approach to reforming Nigeria’s education sector, addressing both foundational and advanced levels of learning.
If effectively implemented, the ATPP is expected to significantly improve teacher quality in classrooms across the country, while the university advancement initiative could help institutions become more resilient and globally competitive.
