"First Degree To Be Minimum Teaching Qualification" – Federal Government

According to a report on The Leadership, Federal Government has disclosed plans to make first degree as the minimum teaching qualification in Nigeria. Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who gave this hint yesterday, when he received Finish Ambassador to Nigeria, Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury, on courtesy call, said the federal government would explore all measures to restore the respect, dignity and status of teachers in the country.

Suomela-Chowdhury, had told the minister that all teachers in Finland have minimum of masters degree and that teaching is a highly competitive profession because of huge interest by too many qualified people.

The minister, who said the target of the federal government was to make first degree as minimum teaching qualification, noted that from 1980 the minimum teaching qualification to teach in school is National Certificate in Education (NCE).

He said this could be upped to first degree in time to come, adding that currently there are a number of graduates teaching in primary schools in the country.

Shekarau, recalled that the country was able to get over the practice in the past where primary school leavers were engaged to teach, saying “the level was raised to Teacher Grade 3 in the 60s and later on in early 70s, it was minimum of Grade 2, and this was later phased out in early 80s to minimum of NCE. Gradually we will get there.”