The House of Representatives has passed a Bill to provide for stiffer penalties against unregistered and unqualified teachers in the country.

The House also considered and approved the recommendations of the report of the Committee on Basic Education and Services on a Bill for an Act to Amend the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria Act, Cap. T3, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The Nation learnt that the Green Chamber took the step to ensure that only licensed or registered and qualified persons with thorough professional conduct teach in schools.

The lawmakers also proposed stiffer penalties and punishment against unregistered and unqualified teachers. 

The recommendations of the report of the Committee, chaired by Julius Ihonvbere, were considered and approved during yesterday’s plenary.

Also, following the consideration and adoption of the committee’s reports on the call for Recruitment of Qualified and Registered Teachers in Nigerian Schools, the House urged the Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) to publicise the data of quacks and unqualified teachers per state acrsoo Nigeria.

Other recommendations approved include:

•“That the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), National Teachers Institute (NTI), and Association of Arabic Studies (AAS) are in consonance with the provision of the Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria Act, that a teacher must possess a minimum qualification of Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and must be registered, certified and licensed.

• “That there is a need to re-introduce the Teachers Assessment Test to ascertain the quality of teachers,” among others.

[The Nation]