Stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector have called for urgent and comprehensive reforms to improve governance, leadership, and sustainability in Federal Colleges of Education (FCEs) across the country. The call followed a two-day workshop themed “Governance, Leadership, Improvement and Sustainability of Federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria”, which drew over 120 key participants, including top government officials, education experts, and representatives of key agencies.
Declaring the workshop open, Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmed, reiterated the federal government’s commitment to strengthening teacher education, adding that annual budgetary provisions would be made to support accreditation and resource inspections. Participants expressed support for the dual-mandate policy allowing FCEs to award both Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and education degrees, while also commending the appointment of professionals to college governing councils.
Despite positive developments, stakeholders raised concerns over persistent issues such as inadequate funding, dilapidated infrastructure, and insufficient investment in human capital development. They also highlighted non-compliance with regulations, overlapping monitoring activities, lack of ICT resources, and the absence of dedicated budget lines for Governing Council operations. These, they warned, continue to hinder the performance and relevance of the colleges.
To address the challenges, the workshop recommended increased government investment in teacher education, full implementation of the dual-mandate policy, and the integration of entrepreneurial and vocational subjects to enhance graduate employability. It also called for improved staff motivation, provision of stipends for NCE students, and better security, ICT, and energy infrastructure in FCEs, particularly through TETFund interventions.
The communique issued at the end of the workshop emphasized the need for accountability, transparency, and collaborative efforts between management, governing councils, and development partners. It further urged the federal government to develop policies that enhance effective leadership and governance, while continuing to support the revitalization and expansion of physical infrastructure in the colleges.