The Federal Government has cautioned colleges of education against rushing into degree programmes without the lecturers, classrooms and facilities needed to train students properly.
Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of a new curriculum and a five-year strategic plan for the colleges.
Ahmad described the approval for colleges to award degrees alongside the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) as a welcome development, but insisted that academic standards must not be compromised.
According to her, no college should introduce or expand degree programmes unless it has qualified lecturers, adequate facilities and functional quality assurance systems.
She said the success of the policy should be measured by the quality of teachers the colleges produce, not by how many of them offer degrees.
The minister charged the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to ensure that all institutions understand and properly implement the new curriculum.
She also urged college managements to align their budgets, staff recruitment plans and infrastructure projects with the reform agenda.
Ahmad further called for closer collaboration among the Federal Ministry of Education, the NCCE, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and college managements to avoid confusion over regulatory responsibilities.
Speaking at the national retreat and workshop on the implementation of the dual mandate and the NCCE Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2031, the NCCE Executive Secretary, Dr Angela Ajala, said the reforms were designed to produce teachers who can meet the changing needs of schools and learners.
She said the new curriculum would equip trainee teachers with digital skills and expose them to inclusive education, entrepreneurship and modern teaching methods.
Ajala added that academics, curriculum experts, professional bodies and regulatory agencies contributed to its development, and that it would give student teachers more hands-on classroom experience.
She, however, warned that the curriculum would have little impact if colleges lack qualified lecturers, modern equipment and adequate funding.
The NCCE boss urged provosts and other college heads to assess their institutions’ readiness to implement the policy, particularly in the areas of staffing, facilities, funding and administration.
The new curriculum and the 2026–2031 strategic plan are expected to guide colleges in strengthening their teaching programmes and preparing students for careers in education.
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