Federal Government Approves Dual Mode for Colleges of Education, Awards Scholarships to Outstanding Students
This new policy enables colleges to concurrently run degree programs alongside the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programs.
The development is designed to elevate teacher training and ensure the production of high-quality professional educators in the country.
The Executive Secretary of NCCE, Professor Paulinus Chijioke, made this announcement during the 2024 National Teachers’ Day celebration organized by the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
Chijioke emphasized that the dual-mode initiative would increase access to teacher education, improving the quality of education by allowing more students to pursue degree qualifications alongside the traditional NCE.
He also highlighted the broader goal of enhancing the teaching profession in Nigeria.
“We must continue to elevate the status of teaching, ensuring it attracts the brightest and most passionate individuals who are committed to shaping future generations,” Chijioke stated.
On his part, Dr. Smart Olugbeko, President of COEASU, commended President Bola Tinubu for signing the Colleges of Education Establishment Act, which grants autonomy to the institutions.
With this Act, colleges can now offer degrees in teacher education, running alongside their NCE programs.
“In line with the implications of the dual mandate, we have continually charged all members of our union to refocus towards higher academic attainments, professional excellence, and productivity,” Olugbeko said.
He also urged the Federal Government to implement the necessary measures to ensure the policy’s success, adding that the union has proposed an upward review in career progression criteria for lecturers in Colleges of Education to meet global standards.
In addition to celebrating the policy changes, COEASU awarded scholarships totalling N3.5 million to six exceptional students, each representing one of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The awards were part of the union’s efforts to promote academic excellence within the Colleges of Education system.
Olugbeko noted that the selection process for the scholarship recipients was transparent and externally coordinated, ensuring that only the most deserving students were chosen.
“Through a transparent, objective process of examinations, we determined the best students in Colleges of Education within each zone, as well as the overall best among them,” he explained.
Presenting the awards, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the welfare of teachers and supporting educational development.
He announced that the government would provide additional scholarships to the award recipients through the Federal Scholarship Board and called for the submission of their data to facilitate the process.
“We remain committed to supporting the teaching profession and ensuring it is viewed not merely as an activity, but as a rewarding and noble profession,” Sununu said.
He also commended the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Education and unions like COEASU and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), noting their shared goal of advancing the nation’s education system.
