Starting from September 2025, colleges of education in Nigeria will be able to offer both bachelor’s degrees and the National Certificate in Education (NCE). This update was shared by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during a meeting held in Abuja on April 22.

Although the law for this dual mandate was approved in 2023 and originally planned to begin in September 2024, it has now been postponed by one year.

At first, only federal colleges of education that are at least 10 years old will be part of this new programme. The goal is to increase the number of students in these colleges and remove the need to change them into universities.

According to the Minister, this change will help bring new life into the colleges and prepare them for modern education needs. He encouraged teachers to include technology, critical thinking, and computer skills in their lessons.

Alausa stressed that the country used to have a strong education system, and this move is part of efforts to bring that back. He also spoke about the importance of reducing the number of children who are not in school and improving learning levels.

He told teachers that the old ways of teaching are no longer enough. Modern methods and technology must be used in the classroom.

To address the drop in student enrolment, he advised college staff and leaders to support the changes, warning that their future depends on how well they adapt.

With this new plan, the government believes there is no longer a need for colleges of education to become universities. If colleges do not accept the new direction, they may risk shutting down in the future.