Oyo TESCOM circular mandates full recognition of TRCN-accredited professional diplomas for teachers

Oyo TESCOM circular mandates full recognition of TRCN-accredited professional diplomas for teachers, News Live Nigeria reports.

In a move set to standardize teaching qualification recognition, the Oyo State Post Primary Schools Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has issued a circular mandating the full recognition of professional and postgraduate teaching diplomas accredited by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

The circular, dated October 30, 2025, and signed by the TESCOM Chairman, Mrs. Olubukola Oladipo, was directed to all Permanent Secretaries/Tutors-General and Principals of Public Secondary Schools across the state. It explicitly addresses the issue of teaching professionalisation for non-education graduates.

​The key point of the circular revolves around clarifying the status of two major professional conversion courses; Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) and ​Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).

​The circular states that both the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) and the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) are designed to meet the same National Minimum Benchmark and serve the same purpose in the teaching profession. This effectively grants both certifications equal status for employment, promotion, and professional standing within the state’s post-primary school system.

The TESCOM circular further notes the distinction in awarding bodies: the PDE is typically awarded by Colleges of Education in affiliation with TRCN, while the PGDE is offered by Universities.

However, this difference in institution does not translate to a difference in professional value, as both programmes are rigorously accredited by the TRCN.

​The directive is seen as a major step toward eliminating any previous ambiguities or discrimination against holders of either diploma, ensuring fair treatment for all professionally qualified teachers who entered the profession from a non-education background (e.g., holders of B.Sc., B.A., or HND).

The Commission has tasked all recipients to give the circular “wide publicity and attention,” underscoring the importance of adherence to the TRCN’s standards as the apex regulatory body for the teaching profession in Nigeria.