The Federal Government has launched the implementation phase of a landmark reform allowing Colleges of Education across the country to independently run both the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes without university affiliation.
Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, represented by Minister of State Suwaiba Ahmad made the announcement at a National Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.
The minister who who hailed hailed the initiative as a “historic milestone” stated that the Federal Colleges of Education (Establishment) Act No. 43 of 2023, empowered Colleges of Education to run NCE and degree programmes concurrently in teacher education disciplines.
“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, citing the Federal Colleges of Education (Establishment) Act No. 43 of 2023.
According to Daily Trust, the minister said the reform builds on decades of experience and competence demonstrated by the institutions.
“The dual-mandate system now grants them full legislative and operational authority to expand their academic offerings while preserving their core mission of producing highly skilled and professional teachers,” she added.
Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), described the reform as “historic,” noting that it would revitalise teacher education and expand access for student-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,” he said.
He highlighted the benefits of the dual mandate, including the production of graduates with both NCE and B.Ed qualifications, a steady supply of qualified teachers, and the retention of skilled educators within the system.
A college of education is a teacher training institution or a professional training college for teachers. Nigeria has 152 educational institutions. These institutions were established to train qualified candidates to become certified teachers and lecturers.
