COEASU President Warns: Nigeria’s Colleges of Education Are on Life Support

Nigeria’s teacher training system is deteriorating due to poor funding, outdated policies, and the conversion of colleges to universities without addressing the critical role of NCE-qualified educators in basic education.

Exclusive Interview with Dr. Smart Olugbeko, National President of COEASU

What’s going wrong with teacher education policy?
Dr. Olugbeko points to outdated policies, poor funding, substandard working conditions, and low pay as key issues. He criticizes the government’s misplaced solution of converting colleges of education into universities while failing to upgrade teaching qualification standards. He emphasizes that the National Certificate in Education (NCE) is still the official minimum requirement for primary and pre-secondary teaching, and that replacing it with university degrees without policy changes undermines the system.

Can degree-holders teach primary school children?
“Universities don’t train for the nuances of teaching young children,” Dr. Olugbeko explains. The NCE curriculum specifically prepares educators for early-level instruction—a focus not covered in typical university degree programs. Recognizing this, the federal government approved a dual mandate in June 2023, allowing colleges to offer both NCE and degree programs concurrently. This enables graduates to advance from NCE to university degree within the same institution.

But why is Lagos converting colleges into universities?
He acknowledges Lagos’s experiment is unique, citing the state’s large, migratory population which ensures a robust pool of NCE-qualified teachers—an advantage not shared by less populated states.

What message would you send to President Tinubu?
Dr. Olugbeko praises the 2023 dual-mandate policy and urges the president to resist politicizing or undermining it. He warns that the wholesale conversion of colleges to universities will eventually drain the system, and points to global examples—like the UK’s 1992 shift that backfired post-Brexit—as cautionary tales.

Have other countries reversed university conversions?
Yes. The UK’s mass upgrade of teacher-training colleges to university status in 1992 backfired when EU migration fell, prompting the nation to reinstate vocational routes like graduate apprenticeships. He also notes China has reversed some university-to-polytechnic transitions. His central point: educational policy isn’t one-size-fits-all and must suit local needs.

Is teaching still unattractive to top students?
“Unfortunately, yes,” he laments. Without better pay, working conditions, and respect, talented candidates avoid teaching careers. Many treat it as a fallback option after failing to secure other employment.

What is COEASU doing to influence policy?
The union continuously advocates for reform, but often its input is ignored. Dr. Olugbeko highlights inconsistent university admission ages across different ministries, and complains that private schools bypass foundational education structures without accountability. He stresses the near absence of education departments in private universities, due to the expense of teacher-preparation programs.

How can these problems be fixed?
Dr. Olugbeko calls on political leaders to prioritize teacher education, equate it with national security efforts, invest in decent wages and conditions for educators, and restore respect for the profession—otherwise, Nigeria may sacrifice its future.

Bottom line:
Without a fully funded, respected, and strategically structured teacher training system—anchored by NCE-qualified professionals—Nigeria risks destabilizing the foundation of its educational system. The debate surrounding university conversion of colleges of education must be broadened beyond politics and financially motivated maneuvers; it needs a humane, pragmatic, and long-term approach.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, TRIBUNE