The Federal Government has launched plans to professionalise 250,000 serving teachers without teaching qualifications through the (ATPP).
The initiative, which is expected to commence in October 2026, is designed to bridge qualification gaps among serving teachers without removing them from the classroom.
Head of Media and Communications of the programme and Executive Secretary of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), Dr Iyela Ajayi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Under the programme, the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, would serve as the coordinating secretariat for the ATPP under the supervision of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.
Ajayi said the initiative was designed to address a long-standing structural challenge in Nigeria’s basic education system, particularly the number of teachers providing classroom instruction without professional teaching qualifications.
He said the programme would provide a credible, affordable and time-bound pathway for such teachers to acquire professional qualifications recognised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), TRCN, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), NSSEC, National Universities Commission (NUC) and other relevant institutions.
The ATPP would be delivered through two routes: the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) for serving teachers with degrees in non-education disciplines, and the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) for serving teachers entering from the National Diploma cadre.
According to the statement, both routes would be delivered through a blended learning model combining self-paced digital content, virtual sessions, structured assessment checkpoints and supervised teaching practice.
The statement added that the teaching practice would be verified in the teachers’ own schools rather than through simulated off-site centres.
The six-month programme comprises four months of intensive instruction and two months of teaching practice.
The teaching practice component will involve structured practicum, mentor and supervisor protocols, as well as documented evidence of lessons, pupils’ work and supervisor sign-offs.
The statement said the arrangement was intended to ensure that the programme translated into improved classroom practice rather than merely providing additional qualifications on paper.
It added that NTI, as the coordinating secretariat, would oversee curriculum coordination, content management and quality assurance in collaboration with UBEC and the programme’s Steering Committee.
Preparations for the commencement of the programme are reportedly at an advanced stage, with curriculum frameworks for the PGDE and PDE routes reviewed, validated and finalised.
Module development has also been undertaken by a national panel of about 40 content experts drawn from universities, colleges of education and relevant mandate agencies, including NTI, TRCN, NSSEC, UBEC and NERDC.
The programme architecture has also been mapped across the federal, state and local government levels, while remaining preparations include the digital curriculum delivery flow, teaching practice arrangements and engagement with partner institutions.
The media communication strategy for the programme was deliberated upon by the Sub-Committee on Media and Communication headed by Ajayi.
NTI was represented on the committee by its Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Malam Yusha’u Ahmed.
The Federal Government said the ATPP formed part of efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen teacher professionalism and improve the quality of learning outcomes across the country.
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