The Federal Government has launched a mandatory Teacher Ethics and Criminal Record Verification Framework to ensure that all teachers in public and private schools undergo thorough background checks before being employed.

According to an announcement by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the initiative is spearheaded by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.

According to the Ministry, the new framework is designed to restore professionalism and accountability in Nigeria’s education system.

Dr. Alausa explained that the initiative is aimed at entrusting the nurturing of future generations to individuals of sound moral character.

How these records will be access 

The government confirmed that the framework will be integrated into the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) digital portal.

The Ministry added that the system will also help to curb impersonation, certificate forgery, and the employment of unqualified staff in Nigerian schools.

Late month, the TRCN launched its digital portal in August 2025 as part of efforts to modernize teacher registration, licensing, and monitoring. The platform was introduced to serve as a national database for teachers, enabling them to conveniently register, access their results, and print their certificates from the comfort of their homes without visiting state offices.

TRCN Registrar, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, explained that the portal would also enhance quality by integrating AI-powered lesson planning and revising the Professional Qualifying Examination from 23 subjects to five core areas, including mathematics, literacy, and pedagogy.

TRCN Registrar, explained that it would also improve teacher quality by offering state-level investigation panels. According to her, these panels will be responsible for addressing cases of misconduct and strengthening ethical standards among teachers.

What you should know 

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria raised concern over the qualifications of the country’s teaching workforce. According to TRCN Registrar, Prof. Josiah Ajiboye, Nigeria has approximately close to four million teachers, and presently, only about 2.4 million teachers have been registered with TRCN.

He noted that what the council have observed is that in private schools, a large percentage of teachers lack the required qualifications to register with TRCN. To register with TRCN, one must have a Bachelor of Education degree or a BSc or BA degree with a PGDE or Professional Diploma in Education.

The council, which was established by TRCN Decree N0. 31 of 1993 (now TRCN Act CAP T3 of 2004), is mandated to regulate and control the teaching profession at all levels of Nigeria’s education system.