DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL OPERATIONS

Steve Nwokeocha, PhD, MBA, MNIM. (Fellow College of Teachers, London) Director, Operations

Brief on Director of Professional Operations

Chief Steve Nwokeocha, PhD.

• The Director is accountable to the Registrar/Chief Executive of the Council.
• He is in charge of the implementation of all the provisions of the TRCN Act 31 of 1993 concerning the regulation and control of the teaching profession at all levels of the Nigerian Education system in both the public and private sectors.
• He is responsible for the operation of the offices of the council in all states of the Federation.
• He manages the Council´s relationship with the Educational Ministries and agencies at the Federal and State levels, teachers unions and associations, professional regulatory agencies in Nigeria, Teaching Councils abroad, International Development Partners and other strategic stakeholders.
• He is the pioneer Director of the Department who together with the pioneer Registrar/Chief Executive built the Council from scratch to its present world-class status.
• He was formerly a staff of the Office of Auditor-General for the Federation and later lecturer in the Federal College of Education for over a dozen years where he was the Head of the Department of Educational Management and Foundations. He also taught in two universities.
• He is a Registered Teacher (Category A) and a member of several national and international professional/learned organizations which include the Nigerian Institute of Management and th College of Teachers, London.
• He has been adorned with many honors and awards, among which are Chieftaincy titles from his native and other communities in Imo State.
• He is married with three children, two boys and one girl.
• Email address: steve.nwokeocha@trcn.gov.ng

SUMMARY OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT

•  Registration and licensing of qualified teachers.

•  Internship schemes/mentoring to equip fresh graduates with requisite practical skills.

•  Professional Qualifying Examinations (PQE) and Interviews (PQI).

•  Accreditation, monitoring and supervision of all teacher training institutions in Nigeria , notably faculties and institutes of education in universities, colleges of education and schools of education in polytechnics.

•  Mandatory Continuing Professional Education (MCPE).

•  Enforcement of professional conduct using the Teachers Code of Conduct (TCC) Teachers Investigation Panel (TIP), and Teachers Disciplinary Committee (TDC) which is a tribunal with the powers of a Federal High Court and whose proceedings are directed by the Attorney-General of Nigeria.

•  Prosecution of unqualified teachers in the Nigerian court of law.

•  Annual Conference of Registered Teachers in Nigeria – which is the only forum that brings together all professional teachers in Nigeria , from the primary to university levels.

•  Publication of a Register of professional teachers in Nigeria and distribution of same throughout the country.

•  Representation of the interest of the teaching profession in all relevant educational matters and at all levels of decision-making in the country.

DIVISIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR ROLES

The functions and activities of the Department (encompassing all that is contained in the enabling law) can be analyzed on the basis of the following Divisions:

A. Field Operations Division :

The functions of this Division include:

•  Allocation of registration forms, handbooks, information leaflets and other operational materials to individuals and organizations.

•  Facilitating timely distribution of operational materials to zonal/state offices.

•  Distribution of registration forms and collection of completed ones.

•  Preparation of periodic report on the registration exercise.

•  Placing requests for procurement of registration materials.

•  Sensitization and mobilization of stakeholders

B. Registration and Documentation Division

This Division is responsible for:-

•  Receipt and custody of completed registration forms from individual applicants, state/zonal Coordinators, and stakeholders.

•  Computerization of teachers' data and production of spreadsheets of such data.

•  Checking/verification of credentials of applicants.

•  Preparation of the Teachers Register.

•  Preparation of list of defaulters in terms of requirements for membership of the Council.

•  Carrying out functions related to Teachers Investigation Panel and Disciplinary Committee.

•  Performing other functions as may be directed by the Council from time to time.

C. Certificate and Licensing Division

This Division has the following responsibilities:-

(i) Production and issuing of certificates to registered teachers.

(ii) Granting and renewal of licenses to registered teachers.

•  Attending to inquiries from teachers and stakeholders relating to the status of registered teachers.

D. Education and Accreditation Division

This Division has the following responsibilities:-

•  Accreditation, monitoring and supervision of teacher education courses and programmes in the teacher training institutions in Nigeria .

•  Organization of internship programmes.

•  Conduct of Professional Qualifying Examinations and Interviews.

•  Execution of Mandatory Continuing Professional Education ( MCPE ).

•  Organization of annual conferences of professional teachers.

•  Periodically disseminating information obtained through linkages to all teachers, especially concerning research findings, local and international conferences, emerging themes in theory and practice of education, training opportunities, etc.

•  Participating in the conduct of the Federal Teachers Corps and related programmes.

•  Performing other functions assigned by Council.

PARTNER AGENCIES

In strategizing to accomplish its programmes and activities the Council regularly consults the following stakeholders, among others:

(i) Honourable Minister of Education.

(ii) Federal Ministry of Education and its parastatals and agencies.

(iii) National Council on Education, which is the highest decision making body on Education in Nigeria .

(iv) Executive Governors of the various States of the country.

(v) Honourable Commissioners of Education of the States.

(vi) State Ministries of Education and their parastatals (SPEB, SEMB, TESCOM).

(vii) Senate and House Committees on Education in the National Assembly.

(viii) Vice Chancellors of Universities, Rectors of Polytechnics, and Provosts of Colleges of Education.

(ix) Deans of Faculties and Directors of Institutes of Education in the Universities.

(x) Nigerian Academy of Education.

(xi) Teachers unions and associations – NUT, COEASU, ANCOPSS, STAN, COPSHON, etc.

(xii) Associations of Proprietors of Private Schools.

(xiii) The media.

(xiv) Regulatory agencies of other professions - Council of Legal Education of Nigeria, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, etc.

(xv) Teacher regulatory agencies abroad - Britain , Canada , USA , Australia , etc.

xvi) Development partners - World Bank, British Council, UNESCO, ILO, USAID, COMPASS, etc. and many other stakeholders.

top