The Federal Government has said the recently approved dual mandate for Colleges of Education will strengthen teacher education and improve the quality of learning across the country.
Speaking at the National Summit in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa — represented by the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad — described the move as a “historic milestone in Nigeria’s educational development.”
“For the first time in our history, our Colleges of Education have been legally empowered to run both NCE and degree programmes concurrently in teacher education disciplines,” Ahmad said, citing the Federal Colleges of Education (Establishment) Act No. 43 of 2023.
According to her, the dual mandate gives Colleges of Education the authority to expand their academic offerings while sustaining their core mission of producing professional teachers for the nation’s schools.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education, Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, hailed the reform as “transformational,” noting that it ends decades of dependence on universities for degree-awarding partnerships.
“With full legislative backing, Colleges of Education now have the autonomy to run degree programmes using their own manpower, infrastructure, and academic expertise. This will not only revitalise teacher education but also increase access for aspiring educators,” Okwelle explained.
He further noted that the new system would produce graduates holding both NCE and B.Ed qualifications, ensuring a steady pipeline of competent teachers while retaining skilled professionals within the sector.
Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Colleges of Education, Hon. Adamu Tanko, assured Nigerians that the degrees awarded by Colleges of Education will hold equal value with those issued by traditional universities across the country.
This reform, stakeholders believe, marks a new chapter in Nigeria’s quest to raise the standard of teacher training and equip schools with the workforce needed to drive educational excellence.
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