As was published in VON, the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN Registrar, Professor Josiah Ajiboye made this known at a Briefing held in Abuja.

He said that over 30,000 prospective teachers have applied to write the computer-based examination in 50 centres across Nigeria.

According to the Registrar, “about 30,000 would-be teachers across the states of the federation and the FCT have registered for the examination”

”The examination would hold between June 7 and 8th in all the states of the federation and the FCT. TRCN is set and we are fully mobilised for the 2019 May diet PQE.

In states like Bauchi, Kaduna and Kano the examination will begin  on Friday, June 7 because of the large number of candidates,”  he explained.

The TRCN Registrar stressed that the Professional Qualifying Examination had become one of the benchmark processes for registering professional teachers in Nigeria.

Getting the Teachers Prepared
Speaking on the progress made so far, Professor Ajiboye said one of the aims of the examination was to get the teachers prepared technologically in the 21st century.

“Yes, it has provided a big experience for us because when we started, many people who took the exam were not computer literate, and that accounted for the large number of failure in the first exam in 2017, progressively, most teachers now go for computer Appreciation programmes to enhance their computer skills,” he stated.

The TRCN has achieved the target of getting teachers inclined to computer appreciation.

External Invigilators
On the preparations for the 2019 PQE, Prof Ajiboye said external invigilators and supervisors would be deployed.

“We will engage the involvement of  Deens of education  of our higher institutions also our technical officers are being prepared and have been trained in preparation for the examination,” the Registrar said.

The council recorded Over 83 per cent pass nationwide in 2018.

Deadline for Unqualified Teachers
Ajiboye reiterated that the deadline for unqualified teachers from the classroom remains Dec. 31, 2019.

According to him, the deadline has made the council to record an increase in the number of people that would sit for the PQE .

“In the first PQE, we had like 16,000 candidates. In October 2018, we had 22,000; this year we have recorded the highest number.

“By January 2020, we are going to begin our enforcement and we may likely start from the private schools because our mandate covers both the public and private schools

“We have more than 80 per cent compliance from public schools, but the major problem we have is the private schools.

2019 Deadline remains for those who wants to remain in classroom although we are recording upsurge in the numbers of candidates. There is still another PQE in Oct 2019 ,we can assure Nigerians that by Jan 2020 we will begin enforcement .

It is better to obey govt directive and do the needful . Anybody who wants to be a teacher must do the needful  to be registered and be qualified,” he said.

Ajiboye appealed to those yet to be registered , he persuades that they still have 6month deadline .