The Federal Government has approved a landmark reform granting Colleges of Education in Nigeria full autonomy to independently run both National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes without the need for university affiliation.
The announcement was made at the National Education Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, August 19, by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, represented by the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad.
Ahmad hailed the policy as “a historic milestone in Nigeria’s educational development,” citing the Federal Colleges of Education (Establishment) Act No. 43 of 2023 as the legal foundation for the reform.
“For the first time in our history, our Colleges of Education have been legally empowered to run NCE and degree programmes concurrently in teacher education disciplines,” she said, explaining that the decision builds on decades of expertise and institutional competence.
Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), described the development as “historic,” noting that it would revitalise teacher education and increase access for aspiring teachers.
“For decades, Colleges of Education partnered with universities to offer degrees. Today, with full legislative backing, they now have the autonomy to do so directly, leveraging their own manpower, infrastructure, and academic expertise,” Okwelle said.
He highlighted benefits such as producing graduates with both NCE and B.Ed qualifications, strengthening the teacher supply chain, and retaining skilled educators within the system.
Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Colleges of Education, Hon. Adamu Tanko, assured that degrees awarded by Colleges of Education under the new framework would carry the same value as those issued by conventional universities nationwide.
The Ministry of Education further pledged sustained support through policy guidelines, technical assistance, and resource mobilisation to ensure the successful implementation of the dual-mandate system.