Over 17000 Candidates To Write Teachers Qualifying Exams

By Ajoke Babareke, Abuja

Over 17000 candidates have registered to write the October diet of Teachers' Registration Council of Nigeria Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE).

Addressing Journalists in Abuja on the Council's readiness to conduct the exams ,the Registrar ,Professor Josiah Ajiboye hinted that 20 Post doctoral Degree holders (PH.D) were among the "would be teachers" who have shown interest to sit for the Computer based teachers' professional exams.

Professor Ajiboye disclosed that part of the content of 2018 Convocation Retreat, Professional Qualifying Examinations Integrated at Induction had already commenced across all tertiary Institutions.

He explained that this contributed to the reduction in numbers of applicants for the 2018 October diet PQE.

According to him, "on June 2018 diet 83% of the teachers that sat for the examination passed ,you will also recollect that over 22000 would be teachers sat for the exams. PQE drop from 22000 to 17000 due to opportunities of PQE Integrated to Induction as people embrace PQE I that automatically introduced a drop in the general PQE. "

" there are still large numbers of "would be" teachers who are still "cheating" out their teaching in schools without having right qualifications and these people who are quacks will soon be taken out of the system" Prof Ajiboye added.

The TRCN Registrar noted that , fifty which used to be the initial minimum numbers of candidates from each state has now been increased to 100 , he added that any state that can not gather up to 100 candidates for PQE will be joined to another state to write the qualifying exams.

"For the 2018 October diet of PQE, Kaduna state already have over 1000 candidates, Taraba have 3000 ,IMO state have close to 1000 among whom we have masters degree holders and PH.D holders sitting for PQE at different levels" Prof Ajiboye said.

He emphasized that the last conference of the National Council on Education held in Kano State extended deadline for individuals in the teaching profession to become certified on the profession.

Professor Ajiboye also made known that the Council has monitored activities of teachers in Nasarawa, Ogun, Ebonyi, Cross River,Jigawa and Gombe state .

" the council has monitored activities of teachers in 6states of Nigeria, TRCN now know teachers who are registered both in public and private schools in these states"

"in Bauchi state we already have two centres there ,one in Azare and  Katagun and we have our officials all on ground and set for the smooth conduct of the exams. Also in River State we have about 1000 candidates who have indicated interest in the PQE  why because everybody now know that the December 2019 deadline is real "