Passing the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) examination as a masters holder demands thorough preparation, and the right resources can make all the difference. The TRCN syllabus for masters degree holders provides a comprehensive guide to the topics you must master, ensuring you focus on the right areas. Coupled with past questions, it serves as a blueprint to excel in the examination, giving you an edge.
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Table of contents
- TRCN Exam Syllabus for Masters Degree According to Subjects
- PQE 1: History of Education
- PQE 2: Philosophy of Education
- PQE 3: Sociology of Education
- PQE 4: Educational Psychology: Child, Adolescence & Adult Psychology; Human Learning
- PQE 5: Guidance & Counseling — Theory & Practice
- PQE 6: The Teaching Profession
- PQE 7: Teacher Education
- PQE 8: Classroom Management & School Organisation
- PQE 9: Educational Technology / Information and Communication Technology in Education
- PQE 10: Subject Methodology
- PQE 11: Theory and Practice of Child-Friendly Schools (CFS)
- PQE 12: Curriculum Studies
- PQE 13: Measurement and Evaluation
- PQE 14: Educational Management
- PQE 015: Special Education
- PQE 016: Education of Special Target Groups / Adult Education
- PQE 017: Comparative Education
- PQE 018: Educational Statistics
- PQE 019: Educational Research Methods
- PQE 20: English Language & Communication Skills
- PQE 21: Use of the Library
- PQE 22: Basic Mathematics
- PQE 23: Micro Teaching Theory
- Can I Download the TRCN Syllabus For Masters Holders?
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TRCN Exam Syllabus for Masters Degree According to Subjects
As a master’s Degree holder (which is category B), you are also required to cover the syllabus of category C (Degree) and category D (NCE).
PQE 1: History of Education
History of Western, traditional, and Islamic Education in Nigeria and their impact on the present system of Education in Nigeria.
- A survey of education history from ancient times to date;
- Ancient Western and traditional African education systems;
- Global contemporary education practices;
- History of Education in Nigeria;
- Significant landmarks in the emergence, development, and growth of higher education in Nigeria.
PQE 2: Philosophy of Education
This focuses on philosophical thought that influenced Educational development and practices around the world and in Nigeria.
- Nature of philosophy and nature of education;
- The essence of the philosophy of education;
- An examination of philosophical ideas that have influenced the development of education throughout the world;
- Schools of Philosophical thought such as idealism, realism, naturalism, and pragmatism and their contributions to educational development;
- Issues arising from the philosophy of Nigerian education with due regard to concepts such as education, equality and opportunity, democracy, aims and objectives of education, reward and punishment, teaching, indoctrination and training, nature of knowledge, values and the individual;
- Ancient and contemporary philosophers;
- Their impacts on education systems and usefulness in the classroom environment;
- The curriculum and philosophy;
- The problem of truth;
- Transfer and application of knowledge.
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PQE 3: Sociology of Education
This section talks about the sociological foundations of education; the influence of sociological factors on Nigerian education and the transformation of society through education. Emerging issues – Gender, Security, Out-of-School, Family Life, Albinism, Child Trafficking, etc.
- The nature of society;
- The concept of society as a community;
- Groups and grouping in society; Institutions in society and their functions: economic, political, religious, educational, etc;
- Cultural similarities and variations, social stratification, social change;
- The functions of education, and the school as a social institution in society;
- The relationship between the school and other social institutions such as family, religion, culture, language, economy, and political system.
PQE 4: Educational Psychology: Child, Adolescence & Adult Psychology; Human Learning
Human Development and Human Learning
- An introduction to educational psychology.
- Development from conception to young adulthood.
- The intellectual, social, moral, and emotional needs of learners.
- The needs of special learners.
- Perception of people and attribution of causes; self-concept; attitudes and behaviour;
- Power, authority, and civil rights.
- Psychology of learning and cognition, psychological therapies in the school, childhood psychopathology.
- Individual differences in intelligence and learning styles.
- Cognitive and behavioural approaches to teaching and learning.
- Higher cognitive skills in learning and motivation
PQE 5: Guidance & Counseling — Theory & Practice
Administration and organisation of Guidance services
- The history, development, and trends in Guidance and Counselling.
- General principles, techniques, and essential components of guidance and counseling.
- The relevance of guidance and counseling to the National Policy on Education.
- Multicultural aspects of counseling.
- Assessment in Counselling.
- Ethical issues and therapeutic processes with unemployment, career choice, abuse, peer influence, sexuality, social relations, drug abuse, etc.
PQE 6: The Teaching Profession
Provisions of the TRCN Act CAP T3 and TRCN mandates, programmes, successes, challenges, and way forward. Roles of subject and professional associations in the development of the teaching profession.
- Historical development of teaching as a profession in Nigeria.
- Provisions of the TRCN Act 31 of 1993.
- Activities, programmes and policies of TRCN especially in the areas of
- Registration and licensing of teachers
- Mandatory continuing professional education.
- Induction and internship schemes.
- Control of professional misconduct, incompetence and negligence.
- Accreditation, monitoring and supervision of teacher education programmes. Etc.
- Review of TRCN basic publications – Teachers Code of Conduct, Nigerian Journal of Professional Teachers, etc.
- Comparisons of the regulation of teaching in Nigeria and abroad.
- Comparisons of the regulation of teaching and other professions in Nigeria.
- Successes, challenges and strategies for the advancement of the teaching profession in Nigeria.
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PQE 7: Teacher Education
Teacher education issues and strategies for improvement; Trends in Teacher Education
- Concepts, aims, and objectives of secondary and tertiary teacher education;
- Roles of the teacher in the school and as a member of a population group in Nigeria.
- Teacher education issues, problems, and strategies for improvement.
PQE 8: Classroom Management & School Organisation
Effective management of classrooms and schools; Management of learner and school records.
- Concept of classroom management and organisation –
- class organisation,
- classroom leadership,
- classroom arrangement,
- class control,
- class discipline, etc;
- Concept and essence of school public relations;
- Factors influencing school –
- public relations;
- staff-management relations;
- student-staff relations;
- parent-staff relations;
- school environment;
- school programme;
- school performance;
- school tone.
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PQE 9: Educational Technology / Information and Communication Technology in Education
Appreciation, design, process, application, and effects of techniques in the teaching/learning situation. Integration of ICT in the teaching and learning process. Other new technologies.
- Approaches to solving instructional problems;
- The meaning/definition, principles and evolution of educational technology concepts as well as their applications to all aspects of the education curriculum and instructional process;
- Educational media: meaning, selection, design, production, evaluation and utilization; Students’ practical activities;
- Nature and Roles of Instructional technology;
- Instructional technology in learning;
- The basic teaching techniques, some related principles;
- A systematic approach to media;
- Introduction to material and media visual aids – Non-projected aids: book and printed materials;
- Real things;
- Field trips;
- Models and mock-up simulation and games;
- Graphic symbols;
- Use of Instructional resources -Bulletin boards, exhibits, chalk boards, chart pads, flannel boards, Study prints, pictures, projected aids, record players, tape recorders, etc;
- Principles of projection –
- Over-head projectors,
- filmstrip projectors,
- slide projectors,
- opaque projectors,
- motion pictures projectors;
- Hints for good showmanship;
- Multi-media and multi-image presentations;
- Aural aids.
- Micro-projector; Radio;
- Audio-visual aids.
- Introduction to Information and Communication Technology.
- The role of ICT in Education.
- Computer appreciation.
- Computer operations – Typing skills.
- Computer operations –
- MS Word,
- Excel,
- Power Point,
- Publisher, etc.
- ICT tools for Education – Use of emails, internet, virtual library, etc.
- One computer programme along with current ICT concepts and operations.
- Use of the internet – browsing, searching, mailing, social media, etc.
PQE 10: Subject Methodology
Principles and Theories of teaching specific subject matter areas. Current trends in subject methodology. Improvisation; Open and Distance Learning (ODL)
- Introduction to teaching methods.
- Developing and using instructional resources.
- Lesson planning and special delivery techniques.
- Special methods for teaching different subjects.
- Evaluation of students’ learning.
- Critique of subject curriculum.
- Classes of learning objectives:
- Behavioural,
- instructional,
- expressive, etc objectives.
- Formulation of behavioural objectives
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PQE 11: Theory and Practice of Child-Friendly Schools (CFS)
Creating an enabling environment for teaching and learning in Nigeria.
- Concept, principles, and models of CFS – definition of CFS, Key generic principles of CFS based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, child-centredness democratic participation, inclusiveness;
- Quality as holistic and multi-dimensional;
- Characteristics of CFS –
- Principle 1 (child rights and inclusive education),
- Principle 2 (effective teaching and learning environments),
- Principle 3 (safe supportive and protective learning environments),
- Principle 4 (healthy and health-seeking learning environments),
- Principle 5 (gender-sensitive learning environments),
- Principle 6 (democratic participation and partnership building);
- Policies in Nigeria that promote CFS;
- Child-friendly school standards and indicators for teacher education;
- Teacher preparation for CFS – child-centred interactive methodologies based on constructivist principles and activity based learner centered approach;
- Facilities and resources required for CFS; Assessment of teaching in a CFS; Technology on a CFS learning and teaching;
- Strategies for mainstreaming CFS concepts and principles in Nigeria.
PQE 12: Curriculum Studies
Curriculum Development and Implementation
- Concepts and processes of curriculum planning.
- The meaning and definition of curriculum.
- The history of curriculum development efforts in Nigeria.
- Models of curriculum development.
- Factors influencing the Nigeria School curriculum.
- The procedure for developing the components of the curriculum.
- General methods of teaching.
- Procedure for selection and utilization of resources.
- Classroom experimentation, curriculum evaluation, and curriculum innovation.
- Basic principles of curriculum implementation;
- Curriculum innovations and change;
- Factors that trigger curriculum reforms;
- Supervisory roles in the implementation of the curriculum;
- Patterns and strategies of contemporary curriculum supervision and inspection;
- Performance indicators in curriculum implementation: quality assurance, quality control and quality management.
PQE 13: Measurement and Evaluation
Test Construction, Administration, Analysis and Implementation
- Definitions, types and functions of measurement, evaluation, assessment and test.
- Educational and psychological tests.
- Introductory statistical concepts.
- Objective and essay-type items.
- Test validity and reliability.
- Evaluation models and methods.
- Evaluation of school, national and selected foreign programmes.
- Skills of implementing the continuous assessment scheme in the school system.
- The instruments and techniques for assessment of achievements in the cognitive and non-cognitive domains.
- Basic statistics.
- Classification of measuring instruments.
- Construction of test items using test blueprints.
- Measures of central tendency, variability and point measures.
- Representation of scores in tables and graphs.
- Characteristics of score distributions.
- Interpretation of scores.
- Modalities for record-keeping and reporting.
PQE 14: Educational Management
Management of educational programmes, institutions, personnel and other resources. Quality Assurance concepts, processes, and types.
- Introduction to Educational Administration –
- The meaning of Educational Administration;
- Its scope, goals and the factors which contribute to its successful implementation.
- Administrative tasks –
- Administrative process,
- Supervision of schools,
- The Nigerian Education system; students and staff personnel administration; school business administration; tertiary institutions administration.
- The nature and scope of Educational Planning and implementation;
- The Nigerian school system.
- The concept of leadership
- Approaches, theories and styles; leadership qualities; the school principal as a leader.
- Decision-making in educational institutions.
- Principal’s leadership function and school management.
- Basic concepts in School Finance;
- Nature, scope and sources of Educational Finance;
- National and State Budgets to education and principles and practices of school budgeting.
- Concept of Reform and innovations in Education;
- Trends of Reforms in Education in Nigeria and globally.
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PQE 015: Special Education
Strategies for Enhancement of Education of People With Special Needs
- Introduction to Special Education.
- History of Special Education.
- Characteristics of the exceptional child.
- Diagnosis, remedial strategies and special curriculum provisions for the special learner.
- The physically challenged learner.
- The specially gifted learner.
- Issues of falling standards and drop-out syndrome in formal education.
- Products of special education system and the labour market.
- A critical study of the National Policy on Education:
- Principles, guidelines and implementation.
PQE 016: Education of Special Target Groups / Adult Education
Strategies for Education of Special Target Groups.
- Introduction to adult education.
- A survey of the purpose and scope of adult education.
- The psychology and characteristics of adult learners.
- Community development, lifelong learning,
- distance learning, non-formal education, functional literacy, continuing education, and mass literacy education.
- Methods of teaching adults.
- Non-formal education in Nigeria.
- The role of adult education in the development of Nigeria.
PQE 017: Comparative Education
Comparing the Nigerian education system with the education systems in other countries and drawing from the best practices.
- Meaning and scope of comparative education.
- Methods appropriate to its study.
- The relationship between the state and education.
- Factors that influence the character of any educational system.
- Aspects of systems of education from Nigeria.
- 1-6-3-3-4 Education system in Nigeria: principles, Guidelines and implementation.
- EFA and the MDGs in education.
- Education in other countries of the world (a study of good programmes in selected countries in Africa, Asia, America and Europe); Post 2015
- Development Agenda.
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PQE 018: Educational Statistics
Statistical foundations for educational research and measurements.
- Concepts and process in statistics.
- Purpose of Statistics, descriptive and inferential statistics, parametric and non-parametric statistics, estimate error in measurement, nominal scale, ordinal scale, interval scale, ratio scale, statistical notation, organisation of data, classification of data, representation of data, transformation of scores, measures of central tendency, measures of variability, measures of association.
- Inferential statistics used in educational research.
PQE 019: Educational Research Methods
Identification of educational problems, research design, data gathering, processing, analyzing, interpreting, inferences, and reporting.
- Basic principles and Techniques of research.
- Researches in education.
- Features and types of educational research (Pure research, pedagogical research, planning research, etc.);
- Variables (dependent, independent moderator, and extraneous variables);
- Hypothesis (research, alternative, and null hypothesis); null hypothesis; stating and formulating research questions, population, sample and sampling techniques;
- Tools of research (questionnaire, opinionative, interview, psychometric, achievement tests, psychological tests, observation);
- Basic research methods (historical research method, developmental research method, quasi-experimental research method, casual-comparative research method, action research and survey study);
- Writing a research report (features of a research report, chapter layout emphasis, writing preliminaries and making attachments.
PQE 20: English Language & Communication Skills
Use of effective communication skills and fluency in English language teaching and learning situations and day-to-day interaction.
- Nature and Importance of Classroom Communication.
- Types of language problems among learners and strategies for improvement.
- Grammar: Parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, etc); verb tenses, agreement/concord, auxiliary/models, questions, statements, commands; phrases, clauses, sentence types and patterns; direct and indirect speech, common errors; etc.
- Writing: Punctuation, outlining, logical presentation of ideas;
- Paragraphing/structure/development, logical sequencing of paragraphs;
- Compositions – narrative, descriptive, argumentative, explanatory, letter writing formal/informal;
- Report writing, memos, speeches, minutes;
- Writing styles –inductive/deductive, generalizations, etc.
- Reading: Reading problems; principles and techniques for effective reading; reading for various purposes (research, inferences, pleasure, scanning for key ideas, etc); creative reading; etc.
- Listening: Listening types; listening defects; strategies for effective listening.
PQE 21: Use of the Library
Effective use of the library for academic and educational research purposes; The concept and use of virtual library.
- Concept and origin of libraries: definitions of the library, types of libraries, library rules and regulations, and units of the library.
- Library resources and services: formats of library resources, library services, information resources, and their handling.
- Organization of library resources: classification systems, the library catalog, and OPAC use.
- Using data-based resources: AGORA, EBSCO Host, HINARI, and JSTOR, searching electronic resources.
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PQE 22: Basic Mathematics
Application of basic mathematics in teaching and learning and day-to-day living.
- Binary numbers, conversion from base 2 to base 10 and vice versa; sets definition, notation and diagrams;
- Basic operations on factional and whole numbers;
- Fractions, decimals, and approximations; indices and surds;
- Graphs;
- Change of subject of formulae.
- Expansion and factorization of simple algebraic expressions; simple algebraic equations and methods of solutions;
- Simple word problems;
- Ratios,
- Percentages,
- Simple and compound interests;
- Variations (direct and inverse).
- Units of measurement for money, length, mass, weight, area, volumes;
- Calculations of areas and volumes of 2 and 3-dimensional shapes e.g. triangle, square, rectangles, cylinder.
- Properties and classification of 2 and 3-dimensional shapes;
- Types of angles, horizontal, vertical, parallel, and perpendicular lines;
- Representation of data – pictogram, bar, and pie charts.
- Frequency distribution – histogram and cumulative frequency distribution;
- Mode, median and mean;
- Range, mean deviation, and standard deviation;
- Simple probability and application.
PQE 23: Micro Teaching Theory
Principles and practices of functional micro-teaching; Peer teaching.
- Origin, development, meaning, aim, and scope of micro-teaching.
- Basic principles and phases.
- Components of micro-teaching and their values.
- Techniques/skills of micro-teaching.
- Functions of the student in a micro-teaching situation as a teacher, a learner, a source of
- feedback, an evaluator, a video operator, and an organizer of a micro-lesson session.
- The use of the micro-teaching laboratory.
- Merits and demerits of micro-teaching.
- Sessions of supervised micro-teaching.
Can I Download the TRCN Syllabus For Masters Holders?
Yes, you can download the TRCN syllabus for masters degree holders here.