By Ismail Shuaib
ABUJA: The Federal Government has introduced a mandatory ethics and criminal record screening system for teachers across the country, making background checks a prerequisite for employment in both public and private schools.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during the launch of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria TRCN digital portal and its new strategic roadmap for the teaching profession.
According to him, the new framework—tagged the Teacher Ethics and Criminal Record Verification—is designed to restore professionalism, accountability, and integrity to the nation’s education sector.
“No teacher in Nigeria, whether in government-owned or privately run institutions, will be engaged without first undergoing ethics clearance and criminal record verification. Proprietors of private schools will also have to confirm the TRCN registration and clearance of their staff,” the Minister stated.
He explained that the verification process will be incorporated into the TRCN digital portal, which will enable real-time tracking of teacher registration, licensing, and compliance.
This, he added, will help eliminate cases of fake credentials, impersonation, and the recruitment of unqualified personnel in schools.
Dr Alausa maintained that the initiative is aimed at protecting the sanctity of the classroom by ensuring that only teachers of sound moral standing are entrusted with shaping the future of learners.
On her part, TRCN Registrar, Dr Ronke Soyombo, revealed that about 30 percent of Nigerian pupils still lack basic reading and writing skills.
She noted that the new digital portal will address such challenges through tools like AI-driven lesson planning, record checks, and the establishment of teachers’ investigation panels in all states.
Also speaking at the event, Senior Education Adviser at the British High Commission, Ian Attfield, reiterated the UK government’s support for Nigeria’s teacher development programmes. He said the Commission had collaborated with TRCN in designing the digital portal, describing the reform as ambitious but necessary to raise standards in the country’s education system.
Attfield stressed the need for a unified system that balances accountability with incentives, given the diversity of teachers across faith-based, community, and low-cost private schools.
He assured that the UK would continue to support Nigeria’s push for a more effective and credible education sector.
