By Felix Khanoba
The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, has been selected to coordinate the Federal Government’s Accelerated Teacher Professionalisation Pathway (ATPP), a programme designed to help serving teachers without professional teaching qualifications obtain recognised credentials.
The initiative, introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, is aimed at addressing qualification gaps among teachers and strengthening professional standards in Nigeria’s basic education system.
Under the programme, NTI, headed by its Director and Chief Executive, Prof. Sadiya Sani Daura, will serve as the coordinating secretariat under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education.
The ATPP is targeted at teachers currently in classrooms without professional teaching qualifications, many of whom are also outside the licensing framework of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
Rather than removing such teachers from the classroom, the Federal Government intends to use the programme to provide them with a structured pathway to acquire professional qualifications while continuing to teach.
NTI will work with several education-sector agencies and institutions in implementing the programme. They include the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), TRCN, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), National Universities Commission (NUC) and other relevant stakeholders.
The programme will operate through two qualification routes. The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) is designed for serving teachers who possess degrees in disciplines other than education, while the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) is intended for serving teachers entering through the National Diploma cadre.
Both routes will use a blended learning model combining self-paced digital learning with virtual facilitation, periodic assessments and supervised teaching practice.
A major feature of the teaching practice component is that it will take place in the teachers’ existing schools, where their classroom performance can be assessed, rather than in simulated or off-site centres.
NTI, as the coordinating secretariat, will oversee curriculum coordination, content management and quality assurance while working with UBEC and the ATPP Steering Committee.
Preparatory work for the programme has progressed substantially, with curriculum frameworks for the PGDE and PDE reviewed, validated and finalised.
The development of the modules involved about 40 content specialists drawn from universities, colleges of education and relevant agencies, including NTI, TRCN, NSSEC, UBEC and NERDC.
The programme structure has also been mapped across the federal, state and local government levels. Work still to be completed includes finalising the digital curriculum delivery process, teaching practice arrangements and further engagement with participating institutions.
The blended delivery model is intended to ensure that participants do not rely solely on digital learning. Each module will therefore incorporate a cycle of learning and assessment involving both virtual and physical components.
The ATPP will run for six months, comprising four months of intensive instruction followed by a two-month teaching practice period.
The teaching practice element is expected to be critical to determining whether the programme translates into improved classroom performance. It will involve a structured practicum, defined mentor and supervisor responsibilities, and documentation of teaching activities, pupils’ work and lesson evidence, alongside supervisors’ endorsements.
The Federal Government says the pathway will provide serving teachers without professional teaching qualifications with an affordable and time-bound opportunity to obtain TRCN-recognised credentials.
Meanwhile, the media and communication strategy for the programme was considered by a sub-committee chaired by the Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission, Dr Iyela Ajayi.
NTI was represented at the meeting by its Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Mal. Yusha’u Ahmed.
The programme, which is expected to cover 250,000 Nigerian teachers, is scheduled for launch in October 2026.
