Nigeria’s federal colleges of education (COEs) will officially begin awarding bachelor’s degrees in addition to the National Certificate in Education (NCE) starting September 2025.
This development follows the implementation of the dual mandate, a policy signed into law in 2023 after extensive recommendations from various committees.
Initially scheduled to begin in September 2024, the dual mandate was intended to be piloted by federal COEs that had been in operation for at least 10 years.
However, Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced on Tuesday, April 22, in Abuja that the timeline had been shifted to September 2025.
The minister said the policy will increase enrolment in COEs and remove the need for them to seek university status.
“With this dual mandate, there is no need for conversion to university status. You should be the ones pushing for implementation, not the other way around. It’s a matter of your survival.”
Alausa emphasized the importance of reforming COEs to meet modern educational demands, urging educators to incorporate technology, critical thinking, and computational skills into their teaching methods.
Addressing Declining Enrolment in COEs
Over recent years, COEs have faced declining student enrolment, with many aspiring teachers opting for direct university education instead.
The minister warned that failing to embrace reforms could result in the extinction of COEs.
“The government has secured the future of colleges of education. It is now up to you to sustain them. Failure to embrace this mandate could lead to extinction.”
He said that outdated teaching methods must be abandoned to ensure graduates remain competitive in today’s evolving education landscape.
“The way we taught 30 or 50 years ago is no longer relevant. Education and teaching methods are evolving. You must start thinking about how to use technology in the classroom.”
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