FUL Inducts 615 Graduate Teachers as TRCN Certifies New Professionals

The Federal University Lokoja (FUL) has inducted 615 graduate teachers into the teaching profession at its 3rd Professional Induction Ceremony, organised in collaboration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

The ceremony, held on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the University Multipurpose Hall, brought together graduates who successfully completed the required professional qualifying examination and were formally admitted into the teaching profession.

Addressing the inductees, the Vice-Chancellor of FUL, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, charged them to uphold professionalism, integrity and excellence as they begin their careers, urging them to remain worthy ambassadors of the university.

Professor Ibileye commended the graduates for their courage and persistence in undergoing the rigorous training required for professional teaching. He also noted the positive feedback from their monitored teaching practice, which he said demonstrated their professional orientation and academic competence.

The Vice-Chancellor described teaching as a noble calling that builds individuals and provides the foundation for every other profession. He called for increased government investment in education and teacher training, stressing the need for adequate support for the sector.

Professor Ibileye also criticised the practice of admitting students into education programmes simply because they could not gain admission into their preferred courses. According to him, the practice undermines the teaching profession, which should instead attract some of the best students capable of shaping future generations.

Delivering the induction lecture titled, “The Teacher as a Nation Builder: Ethics, Professionalism and the Role of TRCN in 21st Century Nigeria,” the Provost of Benue State College of Education, Oju, Professor Boniface Odeh, represented by Professor Emmanuel Eriba Otor, emphasised the central role of teachers in national development.

Professor Otor noted that no country could rise above the quality of its teachers, stressing that teachers shape the character, capacity and competence of the next generation.

He urged the inductees to remain committed to their learners, uphold professional ethics and serve as role models both within and outside the school environment. He added that TRCN would continue to promote continuous professional development and prepare teachers to respond effectively to changing demands in education.

He also called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to improve teachers’ welfare and enhance their standing in society, while urging the new professionals to pursue excellence as they assume their responsibilities as nation builders.

The TRCN Registrar and Chief Executive, Dr Mrs Aderonke Soyombo, represented by Dr Mary Dozie, congratulated the inductees and described them as a new generation of professional teachers.

She said the induction marked their formal acceptance of the responsibilities associated with membership of the teaching profession and charged them to contribute to the holistic development of their learners while remaining willing to learn, adapt and innovate in response to emerging educational needs.

Earlier, the Dean, Faculty of Education, Professor Rafiu Ademola Olatoye, appreciated the Vice-Chancellor for his continued support for the faculty and congratulated the inductees on their successful induction.

Professor Olatoye described the induction as more than the attainment of a certificate, saying it represented a call to professional responsibility. He urged the new teachers to lead with integrity and accountability, serve as role models in character and knowledge, and commit themselves to continuous learning.

He further encouraged them to embrace technology and emerging approaches to teaching and learning to remain relevant and effective in the classroom.

The Dean also charged the inductees to uphold the image of the university through social responsibility, professional service, mentorship and positive contributions to society.

The ceremony reaffirmed FUL’s commitment to producing professionally competent graduates and first-class leaders capable of contributing meaningfully to national development and advancing Nigeria’s standing in the global community.