Nigeria’s education sector stakeholders have called for immediate reforms to address governance, leadership, and sustainability issues in the country’s Federal Colleges of Education (FCEs).
This plea followed a two-day workshop on “Governance, Leadership, Improvement, and Sustainability of Federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria.”
The workshop, which took place in Abuja, was attended by over 120 participants, including the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmed, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, TETFund, and other key education bodies.
During the event, Prof. Ahmed reaffirmed the federal government’s dedication to strengthening teacher education, committing to annual budgetary allocations to support accreditation and resource inspection exercises.
Despite progress, several critical challenges facing FCEs were raised, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, and insufficient investment in human capital.
Participants also stated issues such as non-compliance with regulatory frameworks, insufficient learning resources, and a lack of dedicated funding for Governing Council operations.
The workshop concluded with a call for reforms to improve the sustainability and effectiveness of teacher education institutions.
Key recommendations included increased funding for teacher education, proper implementation of the dual-mandate policy (which allows FCEs to award both NCE and degree qualifications), improved ICT infrastructure, and better staff motivation.
Stakeholders also urged FCEs to diversify their programmes by including entrepreneurial and trade subjects, which could enhance the employability of NCE graduates.
Also, Governing Councils were encouraged to develop policies that could improve leadership and governance in the colleges.
Participants also recommended that FCEs be the only authorised institutions to award all degree programmes in education. They called for the federal government to fully implement its policy of offering stipends to NCE students to increase enrollment.
Other suggestions included establishing budget lines for Governing Council activities and providing security and power interventions through TETFund.
The workshop also urged better collaboration with local communities and international development partners and spoke on the need for transparent governance to ensure the safety and effectiveness of FCEs.
It concluded with a commendation for the federal government’s release of revitalisation funds, urging continued support to maintain and upgrade physical facilities in these institutions.
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