No illegal College of Education in Nigeria – NCCE boss

THE Executive Secretary of National Commission for Colleges of Education, Professor Monday Joshua has revealed that there is no illegal College of Education operating in Nigeria.  The NCCE boss stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja, on activities on the Commission. He also condemned those urging  Federal Government to make first degree as minimum teaching qualification in Nigeria, saying Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCCE) is currently the minimum teaching qualification in Nigeria. 

He called on Nigerians to inform the commission of any illegal College of Education, COE, he assured that NCCE would  clampdown on such illegal College of Education that might come up in any part of the country.  He also stressed  that the Commission has spread its dragnet all over the country for anyone that would dare the Commission.  He said the Commission has entered the 2016 with more vigour and determination to pursue its mandate, which among other things was to ensure production quality teachers by Colleges of Education to teach in primary and secondary schools in the country. 

Speaking on clamour for introduction of first degree as minimum teaching qualification, Prof. Joshua, noted that the prescription of NCE as minimum teaching qualification was the policy of the Fedral Government.  He, however, wondered why somebody would think that NCE was not enough qualification for anybody to teach at primary school level or junior secondary school level.

According to Professor Joshua, “What we need in this country is not just change of names. We need implementing the policies on ground effectively and we would have achieved our purpose. If somebody would wake up and say NCE is too low to be a minimum teaching qualification, I will say no.  “The problem is not with the name. The problem is not with the level. The issue is that if the NCE teacher is well prepared to do his or her job, he or she will do a wonderful job. Even if we say bachelors degree should be made as minimum teaching qualification, there will still be clamour that degree is not enough”. 

“My candid opinion is that NCE is even more than enough. So, to correct or improve on quality of education in Nigeria, the solution does not lie in changing minimum teaching qualification. The solution is providing the resources and all that are needed to make the colleges carry out their mandates the way they should be carried out,” he said.