The Federal Government has announced that starting from the 2025/2026 academic session, all federal Colleges of Education across Nigeria will begin the concurrent running of Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes. This move, according to the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, is aimed at reviving the dwindling enrolment in Colleges of Education and boosting access to quality teacher education.
Dr. Alausa, who disclosed this during a stakeholders’ follow-up meeting in Abuja, expressed concern over the declining interest in Colleges of Education, warning that the institutions are gradually becoming obsolete due to low student enrolment. He noted that in 2024, fewer than 1,000 candidates applied to Federal Colleges of Education out of the two million who sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
He said the dual mandate, which allows the institutions to offer both NCE and degree programmes simultaneously, is backed by the Federal Colleges of Education Act 2023, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu. The minister stressed that any college that fails to adopt the dual programme structure risks extinction, urging school authorities to fully embrace the reform.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has developed the framework for the dual-mode operation, while the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has also incorporated the new structure into its admissions system and engaged relevant stakeholders in preparation for implementation.
Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said, added that awarding degree certificates directly—rather than through affiliations with universities—would enhance the reputation of Colleges of Education. She emphasized that the move would elevate the institutions’ academic standing and attract more students.
President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr. Smart Olugbeko, praised the initiative but called on the government to consider a unified five-year structure for both qualifications instead of the proposed separate three-year programmes.
The initiative is part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to reform Nigeria’s teacher education sector, incorporating technology, Artificial Intelligence, and curriculum modernization to meet global standards and restore the integrity of the teaching profession.
