By Ghazali Ibrahim
The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has closed 22 unaccredited Colleges of Education across Nigeria in a major enforcement action aimed at safeguarding the quality of teacher training.
Confirming the move, the NCCE said: “The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country. The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education.”
The commission noted that the affected institutions fell short of required standards, prompting immediate closure.
The crackdown aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent directive to regulators including the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the NCCE to eliminate illegal higher education institutions nationwide.
Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, Tinubu, represented by Rakiya Ilyasu, Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, warned: “The integrity of the academic system must not be compromised.”
He stressed his administration’s commitment to coordinated action, saying: “At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality. The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education, and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem.”
