UK drops Nigerian, Ghanaian teachers from qualified teacher status route

The United Kingdom has removed Nigeria, Ghana and India from the list of countries whose teachers can use the direct application service for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England, a move that could complicate the recruitment pathway for thousands of overseas-trained teachers.

The change took effect on September 9, 2026, according to the UK Department for Education (DfE). The department said the decision followed a review of the requirements for verifying teachers’ professional standing and employment history.

The policy change is particularly significant for Nigerian teachers because QTS is recognised as an important professional qualification for teaching in England. While QTS is not legally required in every type of English school, the UK government says teachers with the status are more likely to secure teaching jobs.

Why Nigeria and Ghana were removed

The DfE said countries must satisfy two key conditions to remain eligible for the direct recognition route.

First, they must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional standing. Second, they must be able to provide references meeting the department’s verification requirements.

While the department said India was removed because it does not have a national regulator capable of confirming professional standing, its explanation for Nigeria and Ghana focused on the verification of employment references.

The DfE said its data showed that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Nigeria and Ghana contained work-history references using public email services such as Gmail or Hotmail rather than official school email domains.

According to the department, this creates additional work for assessors attempting to verify information submitted by applicants.

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The department said the tighter verification requirements were necessary to ensure that information supplied by applicants was genuine and that teachers awarded QTS possessed the necessary skills and experience.

“We must be confident that the information applicants provide is genuine,” the department said, adding that the objective was to ensure overseas teachers awarded QTS had the skills and experience required to teach in English schools.

A major change for Nigerian teachers

The decision marks a significant reversal from the expansion of the QTS recognition route introduced in 2023.

Previously, teachers from Nigeria and Ghana with appropriate subject specialisms could apply through the overseas recognition service if they met the prescribed requirements. Government documents show that the expanded route included Ghana, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Singapore and South Africa for teachers with qualifications to teach certain subjects and pupils aged 11 to 16.

Under the new rules, South Africa is the only African country remaining on the relevant list of eligible countries, according to the current DfE guidance.

The change does not mean Nigerian or Ghanaian teachers are permanently barred from teaching in England. Instead, they can no longer use the specific “Apply for QTS in England” recognition service based on their overseas training in those countries. The DfE says affected teachers can explore alternative routes to QTS.

What teachers previously needed

Before the eligibility change, applicants using the recognition service had to satisfy several requirements, including holding a valid passport, an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree and recognition as a professional teacher in the country where they trained.

They were also required to have completed mandatory induction or registration processes, possess qualifications covering teaching children aged five to 16, and have at least nine months of teaching experience after qualification.

Applicants also needed employment references capable of confirming their work history, with the current DfE requirements specifying that the reference email should use the school’s official domain.

Depending on the country and teaching route, additional requirements could include qualifications for teaching pupils aged 11 to 16 and a specialisation in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics and specified modern or classical languages.

The alternative routes

The DfE stressed that the removal of Nigeria, Ghana and India from the recognition service does not close every pathway into England’s teaching profession.

Its guidance states that overseas-trained teachers may pursue alternative routes to QTS, including routes involving further assessment or training. Teachers can also be employed by certain types of schools without QTS under circumstances allowed by English regulations.

The department also notes that teachers from overseas can work in England for up to four years without QTS under certain circumstances, although QTS is required after that period for teaching in many schools. Academies, free schools and private schools have different arrangements.

The immediate impact, therefore, is not a blanket prohibition on Nigerian or Ghanaian teachers working in England, but the loss of a previously available direct recognition pathway.

The policy has effectively shifted the burden onto affected teachers to identify alternative routes, undergo additional assessment or training where required, and demonstrate their qualifications and professional experience through the UK’s revised recognition framework.