Support Programme Opens Certification Opportunities for Teachers in Borno Northeast Nigeria

Teachers in Insurgency-Ravaged Borno Communities Get Lifeline Through Certification Support, Hundreds of teachers working in conflict-affected communities in Borno State have received renewed hope through a special training and certification programme designed to improve teaching standards and strengthen education in areas devastated by insurgency.

The initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented by [Plan International Nigeria] in partnership with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), the Borno State Government, and other humanitarian partners, targeted teachers in Damboa, Kala Balge, and Mobbar local government areas.

These communities have faced years of attacks by insurgents, leading to the destruction of schools, displacement of teachers, and severe disruptions to learning since 2014.

The programme offered a second chance to 761 teachers who had previously struggled to pass the mandatory TRCN professional examination. Following weeks of intensive mentoring and capacity-building sessions, the teachers successfully met the certification requirements and were formally inducted by the council.

Speaking during the induction ceremony of the second batch of 359 successful candidates in Maiduguri, Head of Humanitarian Programme at Plan International Nigeria, Dr. Emmanuel Nuhu, said the intervention focused on addressing the specific challenges that had prevented many teachers from qualifying.

According to him, the programme combined computer literacy training with intensive coaching on the TRCN curriculum to better prepare participants for the professional examination.

“We identified teachers who were unable to pass the TRCN exams, and through collaboration with the council, we mentored and trained them to improve their chances of success,” Nuhu explained.

The training was facilitated by the Unique Care and Support Foundation (CASFOD), a humanitarian organization actively involved in educational support programmes across the state. Participants underwent three weeks of intensive instruction aimed at improving both their technical and classroom teaching skills.

For many beneficiaries, the programme marked a turning point in their careers.

One participant, Malam Baba Malam, a teacher at New Junior Day Secondary School, said he passed the certification examination after failing three previous attempts.

He attributed his earlier setbacks to poor computer literacy and limited understanding of the examination curriculum.

“The programme helped me overcome those challenges, and now I can teach more effectively,” he said.

Other beneficiaries, including Mrs. Malhafas Shall and Ishaiku Damboa, described the training as transformational, noting that it improved their confidence, teaching methods, and ability to impact knowledge on students.

The intervention comes at a critical time for the education sector in Borno State.

A 2021 Literacy and Numeracy Competence Test conducted for Local Education Authority teachers revealed that 7,975 primary school teachers — representing 46.3 percent of the 17,229 teachers assessed across the state’s 27 local government areas — were considered not competent, though trainable.

Government teaching audits also found that only 5,439 teachers were fully qualified and competent to teach, while an additional 2,389 teachers were working in classrooms without formal qualifications.

Education experts have linked the shortage of qualified teachers and declining educational standards in the state to persistent insurgent attacks, school closures in volatile communities, and the displacement of educators over the years.

Despite these challenges, stakeholders believe programmes like this certification support initiative could play a major role in rebuilding the education system and restoring learning opportunities for children affected by conflict in northeastern Nigeria.