The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) in Kaduna State, Nigeria, plans to introduce a mandatory one-year Teacher Internship Programme by January 2024. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the quality of teaching and addressing the shortage of qualified teachers in the country.
The Director-General of NTI, Prof. Musa Maitafsir, made this announcement during the 2023 World Teachers’ Day celebration. The internship program will be introduced in collaboration with the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and is in line with the National Teacher Education Policy (2014), which stipulates that new teachers should undergo a year of successful internship and mentoring before receiving their teaching license.
The Teacher Internship Programme will be mandatory for graduates with qualifications such as Nigeria Certificate in Education, Bachelor of Education, Postgraduate Diploma in Education, Master of Education, and Doctorate of Philosophy in education. The internship will provide practical knowledge of the teaching and learning process, covering various aspects of teaching skills, pedagogical principles, and educational techniques.
Upon successful completion of the program, trainee teachers will be awarded a “Teacher Internship Certificate,” which will qualify them for TRCN’s induction and certification. The program will operate in two cycles each year, in March and November.
To participate in the Teacher Internship Programme, candidates will be required to pay an application fee of N7,000 and an internship fee of N50,000. The program will be conducted at NTI’s headquarters in Kaduna State and across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
The initiative is expected to contribute to the professionalization of the teaching profession in Nigeria by ensuring that only qualified and certified individuals become licensed teachers. It aims to produce highly motivated, efficient, and effective teachers for Nigerian schools, addressing the long-standing issue of unqualified individuals infiltrating the teaching profession.