The Federal Government has officially commenced the implementation of a major reform that empowers Colleges of Education nationwide to run both National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes independently, without university affiliation.
Speaking at the National Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa — represented by the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad — described the development as “a historic milestone in Nigeria’s educational journey.”
“For the first time in our history, Colleges of Education have been granted the legal authority to run NCE and degree programmes concurrently in teacher education,” she said, citing the Federal Colleges of Education (Establishment) Act No. 43 of 2023.
According to the minister, the reform leverages the institutions’ decades of experience and strengthens their mandate to produce skilled and professional teachers.
Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), also hailed the move as transformative. He noted that, unlike in the past when Colleges partnered with universities to award degrees, they can now do so directly using their own manpower, facilities, and academic expertise.
“The dual mandate will ensure a steady supply of qualified teachers and allow graduates to obtain both NCE and B.Ed qualifications, while also retaining talent within the education system,” Okwelle added.
Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Colleges of Education, Hon. Adamu Tanko, assured stakeholders that the degrees awarded by Colleges of Education would carry the same value as those from conventional universities.
The Ministry of Education further pledged support through policy direction, technical assistance, and resource mobilisation to guarantee smooth implementation.
Traditionally, Colleges of Education in Nigeria were limited to NCE programmes and had to rely on universities to confer degrees. This reform, stakeholders say, marks a new chapter in strengthening teacher education and expanding access to higher learning.
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