The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has commenced consultations with Provosts and other stakeholders in the Northeast to address potential challenges ahead of the implementation of the Dual Mandate Policy for Colleges of Education.
The policy, which takes effect from September 2026, will enable qualified Colleges of Education to award both the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and Bachelor’s Degrees in Education.
The Executive Secretary of NCCE, Dr Angela Ajala, disclosed this on Thursday in Gombe during a stakeholder engagement on the implementation of the policy.
Ajala said the commission was engaging institutions across the country to identify challenges peculiar to different regions and develop practical solutions before the full rollout of the policy.
According to her, the initiative is designed to strengthen teacher education by equipping graduates with professional qualifications and practical skills that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“When you enter a College of Education now, you get three certificates: the NCE, Bachelor of Education certificate and a skill certificate,” she said.
She explained that the stakeholder engagement was aimed at discussing implementation guidelines and new approaches introduced under the policy.
Ajala stressed that successful implementation would require collaboration among Colleges of Education, NCCE, governments and development partners.
“We are here to know their challenges and how they can be solved. If it is what the colleges can solve on their own, what NCCE can solve or what the government needs to intervene,” she said.
She added that challenges requiring government intervention would be brought to the attention of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, while development partners would also be approached where necessary.
Ajala said the skills component of the policy was intended to make graduates more self-reliant and capable of providing solutions to challenges in their communities.
Earlier, a former Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe, Dr Ali Adamu, identified inadequate funding, shortage of qualified personnel and infrastructure deficits as major challenges that could affect implementation.
Adamu, who presented a paper titled, “Dual Mandate of Colleges of Education: Challenges, Opportunities and Expectations,” said the policy could promote career progression, institutional revitalisation, improved teacher quality and human capital development.
He called for increased investment in infrastructure and continuous staff development to ensure the policy achieves its objectives.
The Provost of FCE (Technical), Gombe, Dr Mohammed Abdulhamid, commended the Federal Government and NCCE for efforts to reposition teacher education in the country.
