The federal government has unveiled a digital portal designed to ease teachers’ registration, certification, and professional development in line with its vision to strengthen educational standards in the country.

Speaking at the unveiling and strategic vision for Nigerian teachers in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the portal and vision framework were designed to reposition education.

Mr Alausa noted that no nation could rise above the quality of its teachers, adding that the unveiling was not merely about technology but a renewal of collective commitment to teachers, their dignity, growth, and future.

According to him, the TRCN portal will serve as a comprehensive platform to facilitate seamless registration, licensing, and renewal of teachers nationwide.

“It will also enable examination scheduling and professional development tracking as well as serve as a national database for teachers’ performance and career progression,” he said.

The minister explained that, beyond technology, the unveiling also marked the rollout of a strategic vision for teachers, anchored on five pillars: professionalisation, digitalisation, accountability, equity, and global alignment.

He said the framework would ensure that teachers were duly registered and continuously developed to leverage technology for wider access to learning.

Mr Alausa also announced the introduction of a mandatory Teacher Ethics and Criminal Record Verification Framework, stressing that no teacher would henceforth be employed in public or private schools without undergoing ethical screening and a criminal background check.

He said private school owners would also be mandated to verify TRCN registration and ethical clearance of their teachers, with the new portal integrating a secure verification system.

”This is not punitive; it is protective. It is about safeguarding our children and upholding the moral integrity of our classrooms,” he said.

Earlier in her remarks, the registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Ronke Soyombo, said the initiative was part of her 100-day action plan to digitise the council’s operations.

Ms Soyombi explained that the portal would improve data management and address long-standing complaints about delays in processing teachers’ certificates and licences.

”With this portal, teachers across Nigeria can conveniently register, access their results, and print their certificates from the comfort of their homes without visiting state offices,” she said.

She added that the TRCN had introduced a service level agreement to ensure that results of the professional qualifying examination (PQE) were released within one week, after which successful candidates could immediately access their certificates.

The registrar also said the reform would enhance transparency, expand coverage, and promote efficiency in teachers’ professional development.

”Every parent can now verify online if their child’s teacher is duly registered with TRCN. Our website also hosts resources for teachers, including study materials ahead of the PQE and access to accredited trainers.

“The TRCN has streamlined the PQE curriculum from 23 subjects to five core areas, such as foundational mathematics, literacy, digital literacy, safeguarding, and pedagogy,” she said.

Ms Soyombo disclosed that by October, the council would launch an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered lesson plan generator to provide teachers with simulated and contextualised instructional materials to make learning more engaging for pupils.

She explained that the initiative would lead to a 50 per cent increase in TRCN-certified teachers, improve child protection, and lead to a global benchmark.

Also speaking, Mohammed Isa, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, said the initiative must incorporate accessibility features such as screen readers, sign language support, and digital braille to align with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

(NAN)