TRCN PQE Syllabus: What to Study for the Exam

The current TRCN Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) is a 60-question computer-based test, with 60 minutes to complete it.

Instead of the separate education courses found in older PQE materials, today’s exam is organised around five practical areas: Pedagogy, Literacy, Numeracy, ICT and Safeguarding.

Each area carries 20% of the exam, so you need to prepare across all five.

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The TRCN PQE at a glance

Format
Computer-based test (CBT)
Questions
60
Time
60 minutes
Areas
Pedagogy, Literacy, Numeracy, ICT and Safeguarding
Weighting
20% each

That’s roughly one minute per question.

Source: TRCN’s current PQE curriculum. Last checked 30 September 2026.

What is in the TRCN PQE syllabus?

TRCN publishes an online curriculum for the current PQE. Literacy, ICT and Safeguarding have official topic headings with percentages. Numeracy has four official topic headings, but TRCN currently shows percentages for only three of them. Pedagogy is listed as 20% of the PQE but its current curriculum tab contains no topic breakdown.

So below we’ve kept two things deliberately separate:

From TRCN — what TRCN currently publishes about that area.

Our study advice — what we think is useful to revise, based on the official material and the skills being tested.

That distinction matters. We don’t want to turn our own study suggestions into an “official syllabus” that TRCN hasn’t actually published.

Official curriculum details last checked 30 September 2026.

1. Pedagogy — 20%

Pedagogy is about the practice of teaching: how you help learners understand, manage learning and use assessment to improve what happens next.

From TRCN

TRCN identifies Pedagogy as 20% of the current PQE, but its current curriculum page does not provide a detailed topic list for this area.

TRCN’s separate Pedagogy resources cover teaching methodologies, classroom management, assessment techniques and differentiated instruction.

Our study advice

Be comfortable applying teaching principles to real classroom situations, for example choosing an appropriate teaching approach, checking what learners already know, responding when pupils have misunderstood something, managing classroom behaviour, supporting learners with different needs and abilities, and using assessment and feedback to improve learning.

Don’t concentrate only on definitions. Think about what a good teacher should actually do in a situation.

Practise Pedagogy

2. Literacy — 20%

Literacy covers reading, writing and communication, including a teacher’s ability to develop these skills in learners.

From TRCN

TRCN describes this area as: “The Literacy component assesses the teacher's ability to develop strong reading, writing, and communication skills in learners, which are critical for success across all subjects.”

TRCN currently breaks Literacy down as:

  • Reading Comprehension30%
  • Grammar and Structure25%
  • Vocabulary20%
  • Writing Skills10%
  • Professional Communication Skills15%

Reading Comprehension and Grammar and Structure together make up more than half of TRCN’s published Literacy weighting.

Our study advice

Practise using English rather than simply memorising grammar terms. Be comfortable understanding passages, choosing accurate sentence structures and vocabulary, and communicating clearly in a professional setting.

Practise Literacy

3. Numeracy — 20%

Numeracy covers foundational mathematical understanding as well as the ability to teach numeracy effectively.

From TRCN

TRCN describes this area as: “This section evaluates the teacher's foundational understanding of mathematical concepts and their ability to teach numeracy effectively to learners.”

TRCN currently lists:

  • Core Mathematical Concepts (Arithmetic)26%
  • Geometry and Measurement13%
  • Data Handling and Algebra13%
  • Teaching Strategies for NumeracyNo percentage shown

We haven’t tried to calculate or invent the missing weighting.

Our study advice

Make sure you’re comfortable solving straightforward mathematical problems and interpreting numerical information accurately.

Because TRCN also lists Teaching Strategies for Numeracy, expect questions about how you’d explain a concept to learners, not just how to get the answer.

Practise Numeracy

4. ICT — 20%

ICT covers the digital knowledge and judgement teachers need to use technology effectively and responsibly in teaching and learning.

From TRCN

TRCN describes this area as: “This area evaluates the teacher's proficiency in using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools and their ability to integrate digital resources responsibly and effectively into the teaching and learning process.”

TRCN currently divides ICT into:

  • Core Digital Competencies (Knowledge)35%
  • Leveraging Mobile Technology25%
  • ICT and AI Integration in Teaching20%
  • Digital Citizenship and Safety20%

Leveraging Mobile Technology alone is a quarter of this area, so don’t overlook phones and mobile tools while revising ICT.

Our study advice

Practise applying digital knowledge to realistic situations, including using common tools, handling information safely, recognising online risks and deciding how technology can support teaching and learning.

For AI in particular, think about responsible use and professional judgement rather than trying to memorise the names of individual AI products.

Practise ICT

5. Safeguarding — 20%

Safeguarding is about keeping learners safe and understanding a teacher’s responsibilities when there may be a concern.

From TRCN

TRCN describes this area as: “The Safeguarding component is crucial for ensuring the physical, emotional, and psychological safety of learners. It requires knowledge of national policies and the practical application of child protection measures.”

TRCN currently lists:

  • Foundational Principles and Policies26.3%
  • Recognising Signs of Abuse and Reporting Mechanisms31.6%
  • Prevention and Awareness26.3%
  • Professional Ethics and Conduct15.7%

The figures total 99.9% because of rounding in TRCN’s published percentages.

TRCN’s separate Safeguarding resources cover child protection, safe learning environments, learner wellbeing and safeguarding/reporting pathways.

Our study advice

Safeguarding questions may ask you to make a professional judgement rather than recall a definition.

Be prepared to recognise possible concerns, respond appropriately when a learner tells you something worrying, maintain professional boundaries and understand why concerns should be passed through the proper safeguarding procedure rather than investigated by the teacher alone.

Practise Safeguarding

Literacy stood out in TRCN’s most recent published PQE report

TRCN’s November 2025 PQE report, based on 22,512 candidates, gives the following Pass Rate (%) figures:

  • Pedagogy89.6
  • Safeguarding85.9
  • ICT82.4
  • Numeracy76.5
  • Literacy57.5

Literacy’s figure was substantially lower than the other four areas.

TRCN does not clearly define what its area-level “Pass Rate (%)” measure means, so we would not interpret this table more narrowly than TRCN does. But it is a good reason not to assume Literacy will take care of itself.

Source: TRCN, PQE Summary November 2025.

How many questions are in the TRCN PQE?

The current exam has 60 questions and lasts 60 minutes.

TRCN says each of the five areas carries 20% of the PQE. That doesn’t necessarily mean you will receive exactly 12 questions from each area. TRCN publishes the weighting, but we haven’t found current guidance saying that every exam contains exactly 12 questions per area.

TRCN’s own practice sets use multiple-choice questions, and so do ours. TRCN’s curriculum doesn’t describe the question format in more detail.

With 60 questions in 60 minutes, don’t spend several minutes fighting with one difficult question while easier questions are waiting. Your practice should build accuracy as well as pace.

What is the TRCN PQE pass mark?

The most recent official pass mark we’ve found is 50%

TRCN’s Professional Qualifying Examination National Benchmarks (1st Edition, 2014) states that the pass mark for the PQE is 50%.

There is an important caveat: that document predates today’s five-area computer-based exam, and we haven’t found a newer TRCN document confirming 50% specifically for the current format.

So we wouldn’t build your preparation around trying to scrape exactly 50%. Aim instead to be comfortable across all five areas.

View TRCN’s National Benchmark

Do Categories A, B, C and D take different exams?

We haven’t found current TRCN guidance saying that candidates in Categories A, B, C and D receive different syllabuses or separate sets of PQE questions.

TRCN’s older 2014 benchmarks said all categories covered the same courses, but expected deeper understanding from higher categories. That does not confirm that today’s five-area CBT uses different questions by category.

For now, everyone preparing for the current PQE should be ready for the same five areas.

That’s also why our practice questions aren’t divided into “Category A questions”, “Category C questions” and so on.

Not sure which category you are? See TRCN registration

Studying from old TRCN materials?

Be careful with old PQE books, PDFs and question collections.

The PQE has changed over time. Older materials may be organised around separate education courses and subjects that do not match today’s five-area structure.

A simple check is to look at the contents.

If the material doesn’t treat Pedagogy, Literacy, Numeracy, ICT and Safeguarding as the five main areas, it wasn’t written for the current PQE format.

That doesn’t automatically make every question in it useless. But don’t assume an old “TRCN syllabus” PDF describes the exam you’re about to take.

View the current TRCN curriculum

How should you prepare for the PQE?

You don’t need an elaborate study system to get started.

A simple four-step plan

  1. Start with a mixed set

    Try 10 questions across all five areas. That gives you a quick first look at where you’re comfortable and where you’re making mistakes.

  2. Put your time where your results are weakest

    If that’s Literacy, give particular attention to Reading Comprehension and Grammar and Structure — together they make up more than half of TRCN’s published Literacy weighting.

  3. Read the explanations

    Don’t just count correct answers. Understanding why you got something wrong is what makes practice useful.

  4. Return to mixed practice

    Keep checking all five areas rather than practising only your favourite subject. Each carries the same 20% weighting in the PQE.

Start 10 free questionsChoose an area

Can I download the TRCN syllabus?

TRCN’s current curriculum is published online rather than as a download.

TRCN’s website also links a downloadable Professional Qualifying Examination National Benchmarks document, but that is the 2014 edition, written for the older format of the exam. Don’t treat it as the current syllabus.

For the exam you’re preparing for now, use TRCN’s live curriculum as the reference point rather than relying on an old PDF shared in a WhatsApp or Facebook group.

View the official TRCN PQE curriculum

Ready to see what you know?

Try a free 10-question mixed set: two practice questions from each of the five PQE areas.

You’ll get the answer and an explanation after each question.

Start 10 free PQE questions

Not registered yet? See how to register for the PQE

Looking for your exam date? Check the latest PQE dates

TRCN Pass is an independent guide and practice service. We are not affiliated with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.