Nigerian Colleges of Education to Begin Award of Degrees

 Colleges of Education (CoEs) in Nigeria would soon be able to award their own degrees and thereby ensure the promotion of academic staff members up to Professorial level, THISDAY has learnt. Most of the institutions already award degrees of universities to which they are affiliated.

The Chairman, Committee of Chairmen of Governing Councils of Colleges of Education, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, made this disclosure after a meeting of the committee in Abuja at the weekend, where he added that the new development is in furtherance of the plan to make first degree the minimum qualification for teaching in Nigeria.

He added that the new development has also boosted enrolment into CoEs across the country as graduates of such institutions would be awarded double honours. More lecturers in the CoEs are also being sponsored by the Federal Government through the Tertiary Trust Fund (TeTFund), he said.

“Alvan Ikoku College of Education has 160 Phd holders, while some universities have only 50. The school also has 16,000 students, Adeyemi College, Oyo also has 16,000 students,” he disclosed.

Anosike noted that the Committee has been working closely with unions in the sub-sector to ensure that the agreement signed with government is being implemented.

He disclosed that the needs assessment reports of CoEs are being implemented, which has informed that adequate infrastructure is being provided for the institutions. Lectures therefore no longer hold in school sport centres or chapels as has happened in the past, he added.

“There have been no threats of strike by unions in the Colleges of Education because we are working closely with them to ensure that the sector is revamped. We as Chairmen have decided that there would be no strikes and so we work with them,” he disclosed.
Anosike lauded the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, which he said has kept faith with its promises to Nigerians in all sectors including the education sector.

“What our people are looking for by going to other countries is good education, and that is happening here now. Other nations are even commending our strides in developing this sector,” he said.
He added that there has been no discrimination in attending to the needs of the CoEs as both federal and state institutions are being rehabilitated and developed.