Rescuing Teacher Training with a Two-Pronged Approach Policy

Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, is overseeing a critical period in the country's education sector, as over one million candidates are unable to secure admission into tertiary institutions yearly, resulting in over 300,000 unfilled admission spaces in Faculties of Education in universities and Colleges of Education.

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This shortage is exacerbating the existing dearth of competent teachers, with the Universal Basic Education Commission stating that an additional 194,876 qualified teachers are needed to fill immediate gaps in public primary schools nationwide, where only 499,202 out of the 694,078 required teachers are available.

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The poor state of Colleges of Education is evident in the low number of students matriculating, such as the recent intake of just 36 students for the NCE 100 level class at the Federal College of Education, Technical, Akoka, Lagos, a college with hundreds of staff members.

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In response to this challenge, the Federal Ministry of Education has introduced the Dual Mandate Policy, allowing some Colleges of Education to admit students for 100 level university education, resulting in a Bachelor's degree in Education, with 15 pilot colleges implementing this policy in the current session.

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The Federal College of Education, Technical, Akoka, Lagos, has seen a significant increase in admissions under this policy, with 688 students admitted into 100 level degree programs, 91 into direct entry programs, and 36 into post-graduate diploma programs in education.

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Dr. Isaac O. Miller, the Acting Provost of the college, has praised the policy as a "life saver" for Colleges of Education, expressing gratitude to the Minister of Education and the Federal Government for granting the college dual mandate status.

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The National Commission for Colleges of Education has also launched a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria's teacher education system, aiming to produce a new generation of technologically equipped, globally competitive, and professionally respected teachers, with Executive Secretary Dr. Angela Ajala stating that the future of the nation depends on this goal.

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At the heart of the reforms is the implementation of the Dual Mandate policy, which will enable qualified Colleges of Education to award Bachelor of Education degrees, with students undertaking a five-year academic structure comprising a three-year NCE program followed by a two-year Bachelor of Education degree.

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Dr. Ajala has described the initiative as one of the boldest transformations in Nigeria's teacher education sector in decades, aiming to restore confidence in Colleges of Education and eliminate the perception that they are academically inferior to universities.

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The reform is expected to expand opportunities for students pursuing professional teaching careers, while strengthening the relevance and prestige of Colleges of Education nationwide, and the commission is reviewing teacher education curricula to align with global realities and emerging technological trends.

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The revised curriculum will expose future teachers to digital literacy, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and other essential skills, with a focus on practical teaching experience, innovation, and problem-solving, as Dr. Ajala emphasized that "we are preparing teachers for the world that exists today, not the world that has passed".

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The commission is also reviewing existing entry processes to eliminate unnecessary bottlenecks while preserving professional standards and competence in the sector, with Dr. Ajala appealing to various stakeholders to support the reforms and help change public perceptions about teaching in Nigeria.