The Federal Government on Monday, unveiled a new digital portal designed to streamline teachers? registration, licensing, and professional development while also introducing measures to strengthen accountability and safety in Nigerian classrooms.

At the launch of the portal and the Strategic Vision for Nigerian Teachers in Abuja, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the reforms would not only professionalize teaching but would also ensure ethical standards.

According to him, the new framework includes a mandatory Teacher Ethics and Criminal Record Verification System that all teachers must undergo before certification or renewal.

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

He added that private schools will be required to verify the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) clearance of their staff through the secure portal.

TRCN Registrar, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, said the portal is part of her 100-day action plan to digitise operations. ?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 explained.

Soyombo also disclosed that the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) has been streamlined to five core areas ? foundational mathematics, literacy, digital literacy, safeguarding, and pedagogy ? with an AI-powered lesson plan generator expected by October.

?This initiative will increase TRCN-certified teachers by 50%, improve child protection and raise teaching standards to global benchmarks,? she added.

Technology partner Dr. Patrick Adeleye, CEO of TeckPlus Digital Solutions, said the platform solves long-standing problems of teacher data management. ?Before now, we did not have accurate figures on how many teachers were certified or qualified. This portal provides reliable national data under the Education Management Information System agenda.?

International partners also welcomed the reforms. The British Council?s Director of Programmes, Chikodi Onyemerela, described the platform as ?a significant milestone in transforming Nigeria?s education system,? while Ian Attfield of the British High Commission said it would improve teacher motivation and strengthen data management.

Mohammed Isa, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, urged that accessibility features such as screen readers, sign language, and digital braille be integrated into the system, in line with the administration?s Renewed Hope Agenda. (The Guardian)

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