Toba Owojaiye, Deputy Editor Reporting
In a landmark policy shift set to reshape Nigeria’s teacher education framework, the Federal Government has announced that all federal Colleges of Education (COEs) will begin offering bachelor’s degrees alongside the National Certificate in Education (NCE) from September 2025. The dual-award structure, enshrined in law in 2023, seeks to address Nigeria’s chronic teacher shortage and elevate the professional standing of educators.
The august announcement made by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a high-level stakeholder meeting in Abuja, the policy will initially be piloted in federal COEs that have operated for at least a decade. While originally slated for a 2024 launch, the timeline was adjusted to ensure institutional preparedness and curriculum upgrades.
This reform signals a strategic recalibration in the nation’s approach to teacher education. By granting COEs the power to award bachelor’s degrees, Nigeria aligns more closely with global practices where primary and secondary school teachers possess degree qualifications. This is particularly critical, given that over 50% of primary school teachers in Nigeria currently lack the requisite qualification, according to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Furthermore, with over 10.5 million out-of-school children—the highest in sub-Saharan Africa—Nigeria faces mounting pressure to improve both access to and the quality of education. The dual mandate is expected to boost enrollment in teacher training institutions, expand the talent pipeline, and foster a more skilled, motivated teaching workforce.
In UNESCO’s 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report, Nigeria ranked low in key indicators such as learning outcomes, equity, and teacher-student ratios. The new COE mandate could directly improve these metrics by:
Improving Teacher Quality: Degree holders are more likely to employ modern pedagogy and integrate 21st-century competencies like digital literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Reducing Learning Poverty: According to the World Bank, 70% of 10-year-olds in Nigeria cannot read and understand a simple story. Skilled teachers with degree-level training can help close this gap.
Advancing Gender Equity: With proper incentives, this shift could attract more female teachers to higher qualifications, helping balance gender disparities in leadership and pedagogy.
Dr. Alausa stressed that COEs must view this reform not as a threat but as a survival strategy. “The way we taught 30 or 50 years ago is no longer relevant,” he said. “You must start thinking about how to use technology in the classroom. Education is evolving, and so must we.”
He urged institutions to embed computational thinking, digital tools, and global best practices in their programs. According to him, federal support—including infrastructure grants and digital learning platforms—will be rolled out to ensure COEs can deliver degree-level education without compromising quality.
Globally, countries like Finland, Singapore, and Canada—recognized for their world-class education systems—require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and pedagogical training for teachers at all levels. Nigeria’s move to empower COEs is an important step toward this global benchmark, and potentially a game-changer in the country’s battle against educational underperformance.
While the policy is promising, its success hinges on adequate funding, faculty retraining, regulatory oversight, and partnerships with degree-awarding universities for accreditation. Stakeholders must rally around this reform to prevent COEs from becoming obsolete and instead transform them into incubators for Nigeria’s educational renaissance.
Bottom Line: With implementation set for September 2025, this reform could boost Nigeria’s Human Capital Index and accelerate progress toward SDG 4—Quality Education—if executed with urgency, clarity, and accountability.