JUST IN: UK looking for cheap labour, NUT reacts to teachers’ immigration policy

As the United Kingdom, UK, begins employment of qualified Nigerian teachers from February next year, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, has said it was a business move to get quality at a cheaper price.

Specifically, teachers certificated and assessed qualified by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, will from February 1, 2023, be exempted from sitting for qualifying courses with the Teaching Regulation Agency, TRA, and thereby be given Qualified Teaching Status, QTS, in England.

QTS is England’s equivalent of Nigeria’s teaching licence issued by the TRCN.

Other countries where the UK is expecting teachers to take advantage of the new policy are Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.

Number of certificated Nigerian teachers 

According to figures from the TRCN, about 350,000 teachers in the country have taken the qualifying examinations of the council out of the estimated 1.5 million teachers on the payroll of governments across the federation.

Being on the Concurrent List in the constitution, local, state and the Federal governments are allowed to set up schools and employ teachers.

NUT reacts

Reacting to the development, the Lagos State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Akintoye Hassan, said Nigerian teachers have always discharged themselves creditably when it comes to professionalism.

His words: “Yes, the truth is that Nigerian teachers are good and great and they deserve commendation for performing under conditions that are not conducive.

“It is not that Nigerians are not good, the atmosphere is simply hostile. The British Government recognises this and has listed our country among those whose services are needed in that sector.

“Unfortunately, what value do we place on teachers here? I see what the UK government wants to do as a business decision.

“As far as I am concerned, they just want to minimize cost and get cheap labour.

“Few days ago, nurses in that country went on strike because of poor remuneration. When they get new intakes for the job, they will start them at lower levels and pay them less.

“For those coming from Nigeria for instance, the situation will still be seen as better than what obtains here.

“We must note that the situation portends danger for Nigeria. The reason is that when countries such as Britain balance up regarding workforce, they will shut their doors.

“It is not that our own people are not good, are they appreciated and recognised?”