The Federal Government has introduced a mandatory Teacher Ethics and Criminal Record Verification Framework.
The move is to ensure that no teacher in public or private institutions is employed without undergoing ethics and criminal background checks.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the announcement yesterday in Abuja at the official unveiling of the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) portal and strategic vision for Nigerian teachers.
According to him, the new framework is part of wider reforms to restore dignity, accountability, and professionalism in the country’s teaching sector.
The government, he stressed, is committed to safeguarding the integrity of the classroom by ensuring that only individuals of sound moral character and verified ethical conduct are entrusted with the responsibility of shaping the nation’s future.
The initiative, Alausa noted, would help in identifying and removing individuals with questionable backgrounds who may pose risks to students and undermine the values of education.
He explained that the verification framework would work hand-in-hand with the TRCN digital portal, which has been designed to provide real-time teacher registration, licensing, and monitoring.
The minister said that through this system, school administrators, government agencies and relevant stakeholders would be able to easily verify the authenticity of teachers’ credentials and their compliance with the new ethical standards.
The measure, he added, would not only promote transparency but also eliminate cases of impersonation, forgery, and unqualified teaching staff within the education system.
Alausa said: “As part of our reform agenda, we are introducing a mandatory Teacher Ethics and Criminal Record Verification Framework.
“No teacher, whether in public or private institutions, will henceforth be employed without undergoing ethics screening and criminal background checks.
“Private school owners will be mandated to verify the TRCN registration and ethical clearance of their teachers. The TRCN portal will integrate a secure verification system to make this possible in real time.”
Earlier, the TRCN’s Chief Executive, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, revealed that 30 per cent of Nigerian children are unable to read and write.
She listed features in the new portal to include Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered lesson planning, criminal records checks, and a teachers’ investigation panel in every state of the federation.
Soyombo said the portal aims to enhance the quality of teaching in the country by providing a platform for teachers to access training, resources, and support.
In his goodwill message, Senior Education Adviser, British High Commission, Ian Attfield, expressed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to develop the teacher development portal.
According to Attfield, the UK government has been working closely with the Council to develop the portal, noting that the UK government is enthusiastic about the project and had been engaging with TRCN’s leadership to advance the project.
