The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria has rebutted assertions made by the National Association of Nigerian Students regarding the council’s purported directive for individuals holding its certificates to undergo a professional qualifying examination rewrite.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, TRCN Registrar, Prof Josiah Ajiboye, refuted the claims outlined in a letter penned by NANS Senate President, Akinteye Babatunde.
Ajiboye clarified that the TRCN certificate is a one-time acquisition, stressing its validity for life. He emphasized that only the TRCN license requires renewal every three years, aligning with practices in other professional fields.
Babatunde’s letter mistakenly attributed a certificate renewal policy to TRCN, expressing apprehension that it could exacerbate the financial strain on Nigerian teachers and potentially result in a shortage of educators due to non-renewal.
Denouncing the purported policy as draconian and inconsiderate, Babatunde underscored its potential adverse effects on Nigerian educators amidst prevailing economic challenges.
However, Ajiboye underscored that TRCN’s updated policy pertains to the validity of TRCN Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) results, not the renewal of certificates.
“We’ve observed that candidates who pass the TRCN exam sometimes delay registering to collect their certificates. Hence, TRCN results will now be valid for one year. If a candidate passes the PQE, they must register within one year. Failure to do so will necessitate rewriting the examination,” clarified Ajiboye.
He emphasized that the notion of certificate non-collection leading to re-examination is unfounded. Ajiboye clarified that the new policy dictates that TRCN PQE results are valid for only one year for certificate acquisition purposes.
