Minister demands results from colleges of education under dual mandate

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has challenged provosts of colleges of education to demonstrate results through the effective implementation of the dual mandate, improved institutional accountability and better-quality teacher preparation.

Alausa said the reform offered an opportunity to reposition colleges of education, strengthen teacher training and expand pathways for academic and professional advancement, stressing that its success depended on strategic leadership and collaboration among stakeholders.

The minister, who was represented by the Director of Colleges of Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Cecilia Uba, spoke in a goodwill message at the National Commission for Colleges of Education Teacher Education Leadership and Impact Award ceremony in Abuja on Thursday.

The event, held at the Wells Carlton Hotel, Asokoro, was organised in partnership with Gosima Group as part of activities marking the NCCE’s national retreat and workshop on the effective implementation of the dual mandate and strategic plan for colleges of education.

“The effective implementation of the Dual Mandate presents a significant opportunity to reposition Colleges of Education, strengthen teacher preparation and expand pathways for academic and professional advancement,” Alausa said.

He added that achieving the objectives required “strategic leadership, institutional accountability, collaboration and a shared commitment to excellence.”

The minister reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to working with the NCCE, provosts and other stakeholders to implement policies aimed at improving the quality, relevance and global competitiveness of teacher education in Nigeria.

Alausa commended the commission for organising the awards, describing the initiative as an opportunity to recognise educational leaders whose dedication and professional excellence had contributed to improving educational outcomes.

He urged the award recipients to see the recognition not merely as a reward for past achievements but as a call to greater responsibility, innovation and service to the country.

“As champions of education, you are encouraged to see this honour not merely as a reward for past accomplishments, but as a renewed call to greater responsibility, innovation and service to our nation,” he said.

The dual-mandate policy allows eligible colleges of education to offer both the Nigeria Certificate in Education and approved bachelor’s degree programmes in education, widening opportunities for teacher training and academic progression.

Its implementation has placed renewed emphasis on institutional capacity, quality assurance, adequate facilities and the ability of colleges to produce teachers equipped to meet changing classroom demands.

The Executive Secretary of the NCCE, Dr Angela Ajala, said college provosts had a central role in national development, urging them to improve institutional performance, embrace innovation and ensure measurable gains in student learning.

In her welcome address, Ajala said the quality of the education system depended significantly on the quality of teachers, while teachers’ competence was shaped by the institutions responsible for their preparation.

“Our Provosts are not merely administrators; you are builders of institutions, developers of human capacity and custodians of the future of our children,” she said.

She challenged the institutions to strengthen teacher preparation, expand academic opportunities, promote research and embrace digital innovation.

“Our expectation is clear: we must build colleges that attract students, inspire confidence among parents, earn the respect of employers and become valued partners in national development,” she said.

Ajala added that every college should pursue academic excellence, financial sustainability and innovation while strengthening its contribution to student learning.

She congratulated the award recipients and urged them to use the recognition as motivation to achieve greater results, while reaffirming the commission’s commitment to quality assurance and institutional development.

In his address, the chairman of the occasion and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, described teacher education as a matter of national security, warning that neglecting teachers could undermine Nigeria’s long-term development.

“Educational policies are written in the office, but they succeed or fail in the classroom. Educational reform is only as strong as the teacher who must carry it to the child,” Anyim said.

He said teachers were the foundation of human capital development, just as roads and power plants were essential infrastructure for economic growth.

“When we neglect them, the cost appears not in a single budget cycle, but in generations to come,” he added.

Anyim called for modern facilities, sustainable funding and improved professional development opportunities for colleges of education, noting that teachers needed training to cope with the demands of the digital age.

He also urged the private sector to invest in education and called on the media to give greater attention to the contributions of teachers to national development.

“To our friends in the media: Tell the stories of teachers as boldly as you tell the stories of politicians and businessmen, because a nation celebrates what it sees,” he said.

The former Senate president commended the NCCE for its regulatory role in maintaining standards in colleges of education, stressing that credible regulation was necessary to preserve public confidence in the institutions and their qualifications.

Meanwhile, the President and Group Managing Director of Gosima Group, Dr Gideon Chidiebere Osi, announced plans to expand scholarship opportunities for deserving students in colleges of education through the company’s charitable arm, the Gideon and Joy Life and Leadership Foundation.

Osi said the partnership with the NCCE was intended to strengthen educational leadership and improve teacher education through stakeholder engagement and institutional support.

“Though, at Gosima Group, we construct buildings, roads, water projects, science laboratories, libraries, sports facilities and technology hubs, across all our years of building, we have been confronted each time by a design that no architect could draw,” he said.

He explained that the design was the human capacity developed by teachers, whose influence often determined the success of professionals across different fields.

“For Gosima Group, supporting this initiative is not charity. It is responsibility. No enterprise can prosper for long in a nation that neglects education,” he said.

Osi said the company intended to complement government efforts through scholarships, mentorship and youth leadership development, adding that strengthening colleges of education would ultimately benefit classrooms across the country.

He commended the NCCE management for establishing the partnership and urged award recipients to see their recognition as a responsibility to maintain high standards and inspire future generations of educators.

The dinner brought together education administrators, government representatives and private-sector stakeholders to recognise outstanding contributions to teacher education and promote collaboration towards improving the quality of teaching in Nigeria.