Amid crippling brain drain, UK announces vacancy for Nigerian teachers

Eligible teachers in Nigeria can now seek employment in schools in the United Kingdom.

The employment scheme is part of a programme by the UK’s department of education.

To stand a chance, applicants will be required to have qualified teacher status (QTS), a qualification awarded by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).

The UK’s department of education listed Nigeria among the predominantly African and Asian countries that are now eligible to apply.

Teachers in Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Singapore, South Africa, Ukraine and Zimbabwe as well as Nigeria are expected to start applying by February 2023.

“This change is part of the launch of a new service to apply for QTS in England,” the notice reads.

“From 1 February 2023, teachers from all eligible countries will have to show they meet a consistent set of criteria for the award of QTS. Over time, this route will be opened to qualified teachers from every country outside the UK.

“This will ensure all non-UK teachers awarded QTS meet the same high standards, while also increasing opportunities for highly qualified teachers wherever they trained.”

Giving further details, the UK government said a minimum of two years of teaching experience is needed to be eligible for qualified teacher status.

“To apply for assessment only QTS, you do not need a formal teacher training qualification. However, you must have: a minimum of 2 years’ teaching experience; a first (bachelor’s) degree from a UK or non-UK university an English language qualification which is the same standard as a grade 4 GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education); a maths qualification which is the same standard as a grade 4 GCSE to teach children aged 3 to 11 in primary school and a physics, chemistry or biology (science) qualification which is the same standard as a grade 4 GCSE,” the notice reads.

For more information on how to apply, kindly check here.

Nigeria has suffered unprecedented brain drain in the last four years as citizens move out of the country en masse to foreign lands in search of better life as the economic situation in the country worsens. The situation has left many critical sectors, especially health, on the cusp of collapse. With the latest UK programme for teachers, many are saying, like health and ICT sector, a harsh reality could beset the Nigerian education sector.