The Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Professor Segun Ajiboye, said on Sunday that a total of 53,674 candidates passed the November diet of the Professional Qualification Examination organised by the Council to certify teachers in the country.

According to the Registrar, 72,947 wrote the examinations in various centres across the country.

The don, while addressing journalists in Ibadan, said a total of 19,273 failed the test.

He expressed satisfaction at the commitment by the Nigerian teachers to excellence despite the challenges being faced in their duties.

According to him, Lagos State topped the list of those who registered for the examination with 8,224 candidates. Of this number, he said 6,067 passed the examination.

“This is followed by Oyo State with about 5,599 registered candidates where a total of 4,243 passed. The next is Kaduna where 3,769 passed out of 4,008 who registered for the examination.”

Ajiboye, who said the professional qualification examination was a continuous exercise, urged teachers who are not yet qualified to register for the next diet to escape being sanctioned.

“It is a continuous thing and the door is still open to those who have not registered to do so. And, those who failed the examination still have opportunities of retaking the examination. The close of the deadline does not mean that PQE has stopped.

“Registration for the next diet of the examination has commenced in all TRCN offices nationwide. We appreciate the commitment of the Nigerian teachers to excellent delivery in spite of the challenges they face and the support given to TRCN in its efforts to reposition the teaching profession in the country.”