Cross River State recorded the lowest participation in the May diet of the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) conducted by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), with only 59 candidates sitting for the exams. The examination, held from Thursday to Saturday, saw a total of 12,539 teachers nationwide aiming to test their professional competence NEGROIDHAVEN has garnered.
Dr. Jacinta Ezeahurukwe, Director of Certification and Licensing at the TRCN, shared these details while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Saturday. She emphasized the importance of the PQE in ensuring that only qualified teachers remain in classrooms across Nigeria. “Since 2014, TRCN has started this PQE, and it has come to stay. Even internationally, they have recognized it and have looked at the processes of examination,” Ezeahurukwe stated.
DailyPost reported that in a breakdown of the results, Benue State topped the list with 1,416 candidates, followed closely by Osun State with 1,410 registrations. In stark contrast, Cross River State trailed behind with only 59 registered candidates, followed by Ebonyi State with 69.
Ezeahurukwe highlighted the significance of the PQE in elevating the standards of teaching both nationally and internationally. “Everybody knows that the teaching profession has gotten to a level that is highly recognized internationally and nationally. And everybody knows that you cannot just walk into a class now and say you are a teacher; you must be registered and licensed by TRCN for you to practice,” she explained.
She also pointed out that the TRCN has been diligent in ensuring that every state and organization recruiting teachers, from primary to tertiary institutions, must engage qualified teachers. “We have introduced this to our graduating education students and are also caught at the point of graduation. It is an induction at the point of graduation where education students in Colleges of Education, faculties, and institutes of education, after their final exams, apply for the TRCN PQE,” Ezeahurukwe said.
Despite the nationwide push for higher teaching standards, the low turnout in Cross River State raises concerns about the region’s commitment to professional teaching standards. The TRCN’s efforts to instill the importance of certification and licensing among education professionals appear to be less effective in Cross River compared to other states.
Ezeahurukwe reiterated the necessity of the PQE for maintaining high standards in the teaching profession. “Since 2019, ‘no PQE, no staying in the classroom’ has been enforced with deadlines, resulting in many teachers coming out to obtain their PQE,” she noted.
With the TRCN certification now being a prerequisite for teaching, the hope is that Cross River State will improve its participation in future qualifying exams to ensure that its educators meet the required professional standards.
