Plan International Trains, Inducts 359 Borno-certified Teachers

Plan International Nigeria, through its education programming in Borno State funded by ECHO and in collaboration with CASFOD, has trained 359 teachers from vulnerable local government areas, who were on Thursday inducted by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria ( TRCN ) after passing their certification examination.

Speaking during the TRCN Induction/ Certification and Licensing ceremony held at Indimi International conference hall University of Maiduguri, the director, Programme Quality and Influencing, Plan International Nigeria, Dr Helen Idiong, said the NGO and partners have continued to support efforts to strengthen teacher quality and improve learning outcomes in conflict-affected communities.

She said this work aligns with ongoing national reforms to professionalise the teaching workforce and ensure that every child is taught by a qualified, licensed, and competent teacher.

Idiong recalled that on 11 September 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministy of Education, announced that by 2027, no teacher would be permitted to teach in a Nigerian classroom without registration and licensing by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

She said this policy direction has reinforced the urgency of accelerating teacher certification, particularly in underserved and crisis-affected areas where the shortage of professionally certified teachers remains significant.

“A joint field review conducted under the project, in collaboration with the Borno State Ministry of Education and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), showed that a high proportion of teachers in project-supported schools across Damboa, Kala-Balge, and Mobbar Local Government Areas had not yet been certified by TRCN.

“While ongoing coaching, mentoring, and teacher support have strengthened instructional delivery, certification remained a critical gap in advancing national teaching standards and long-term quality assurance. In response, 359 teachers from these three Local Government Areas, who successfully passed the TRCN Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE), were formally inducted, certified, and licensed during this one-day ceremony,” she said.

She said the project also aims to recognise and motivate teachers serving in conflict-affected communities, strengthen the quality of teaching and learning across project-supported locations, and reinforce collaboration between TRCN, government education authorities, and partners in advancing teacher quality and safer learning futures in Borno State.

The head of programme CASFOD, Jibrin Kolo, said in the day’s event, they are formally inducting 359 teachers who went into training with support from Plan International, with funding from the European Union, adding that it was a project that was funded by ECHO.

He commended the federal government, Borno State government and the director general ECHO for the success of the project.

The director of certification, TRCN, Okuola Abimbola Ahmed, described the induction as milestone in the life of the inductees that came to the programme, noting that in all noble profession, induction is very important.

He urged the newly-certified teachers to shun acts such as sexual abuse, examination malpractice and anything against the ethics of the teaching profession to avoid their certificates being withdrawn.

A participant from Damboa local government area, Godiya Ishaku, said she has sat for TRCN certificate examination for three times without success, but was able to pass the examination after the training and support from Plan International and partners.

Godiya noted that when teachers are trained,the impact would result in the learners.

Also , Sheriff Bashir from Mobbar local government area, said the training exposed them to learning of those things they were lacking before, such as computer literacy, teaching methodology among others .

Similarly, Baba Mala from Damboa local government area who also said he had sat for TRCN examination three times without success, commended Plan International for giving them the support and training that saw them passed the examination and became certified teachers.