Having studied the trend on the various teachers' platforms, I have come to realise that the most frequently asked questions in the teachers' sphere in recent time is "what is the relevance of this TRCN credential sef?".
...and in all frankness, questions like this can't be said to be out of place.
Or how do you explain an industry that is grossly neglected yet unanimously recognised as the 'mother of all professions'- with players having next to nothing gratification?
Day-in-day-out, we keep reading episodes of how teachers' are being 'treated' by their fortunate colleagues who happen to be school owners.
An industry that is (obviously) poorly regulated; where just everything goes as far as you are the owner of the school or you are a government officer on quality assurance assignment.
In all of these, the teachers are at the receiving end - with ridiculously low pay and zero welfare incentives for their unquantifiable investments in the classroom.
So, I think it is very understandable for any teacher passing through these lots to question the relevance of the TRCN.
But then, irrespective of these scenarios, teachers', together with their school owners' counterparts need to understand that the essence of the TRCN as a credential can not be overemphasized.
Let me drive my argument with the points below:
𝟭. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺
The thing is, in other professions, you can barely practice with your credentials without the acquisition of professional certification in addition to your academics.
Take the health practitioners, legal practitioners, business experts, engineers, Tech geeks, clerical officers, transporters, nutritionists, technicians, and a host of others - many of these guys would need certifications in line with their career routes before being taken seriously for good pay by well-standing firms.
Of course, many of us who are teachers are familiar with certifications like CCNA, PMP, COREN, NIN, ACCA, ICAN, HSE, CIB etc.
So, in a way, the TRCN credentials places you at an advantage in the league of professionals in your own industry. It adds some weight to your CV and places more premium on you for immediate or anticipated benefits.
𝟮. 𝗔 𝗩𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗔𝗣𝗔
Have you ever wondered how Nigerians find it seamless to teach in foreign nations and the TRCN being a saving grace for such exploit?
Just as we've seen other professionals leverage on their professional credentials as a worthy exhibit to solidify their case at the embassy in application for for JAPA, so also are informed teachers using the TRCN as their evidence of professionalism at the embassy to clinch the Skilled Worker Visa.
Except you desire to JAPA on the schooling route, one of the very good avenue to become an international teacher is through applying for work visa - and if you are a TRCN licenced teacher already, the credential could score you valuable points in your visa application to work in foreign countries as a skilled worker (ie. Teacher).
𝟯. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
This is where the school owners would want to pay keen attention.
There was a time I worked with a school. The organisation was at the verge of applying for government and exam bodies approvals when I joined. We gathered from enquiries that there would be a segment in the approval process where personnel qualifications would be verified - so as to ascertain whether or not the school parades academically qualified teachers based on their credentials.
Fortunately for me, I and one other colleague were the only two who had gotten the PGDE and TRCN credentials as at the time.
Immediately, our files were moved from behind to the top of the pile owing to the fact that we were both young staff as at the time but fortunately the duo with the sought-after credentials.
The accreditation exercise was successful in this regards because the school could present a few of their staff with academic credentials; and with the teaching profession licence in addition.
"𝟰. "𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗥𝗖𝗡 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲"
Have you started seeing this line in schools vacancy advertorials? Oh yeah; if you're the type that aspires to migrate to a bigger scope and have been blasting your CVs, you are likely to have come across that statement.
Serious minded schools have it as a policy to contract exceptional teachers with the required education licences for their classrooms.
These are the calibre of schools that look way beyond your knowledge of the subject and extend their screening to ascertaining your professional endorsement - which will in turn be used as a marketing punchline to capture prospective intakes.
This is where you'll find lines like; "we have qualified, experienced and licensed professionals with the capacity to nurture your kids to academic excellence".
Now, to answer your query as to what relevance the TRCN credential hold for you, well, if after seeing the above points and you still feel they don't hold water, then you'd better save yourself the rigour of the registration, examination and license delay palava.
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