COEASU pushes for professional leadership of NCCE, commends minister

AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja

As the tenure of the current Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of
Education approaches its conclusion in March 2026, and stakeholders in teacher education are reflecting on a question of national importance on how best to sustain the ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s Colleges of Education system.

This is as the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for what it described as his historic contributions to the sector.

The union said the minister’s commitment to the full implementation of the Dual Mandate and his firm stance in protecting revitalization funding for Colleges of Education have rekindled hope across the campuses and restored confidence in Nigeria’s teacher-training institutions.

It also commended the Minister for his out‑of‑the‑box solution that finally resolved decades‑long renegotiation challenge by harmonizing renegotiation by the unions in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria under the negotiation framework of the Yayale Ahmed Committee.

According to the statement signed by Dr Ahmed Lawan Bazza, President, COEASU, the forward‑thinking approach has averted industrial crises and restored long‑needed stability to the tertiary education sector and confidence in the capacity of the Minister to transform Teacher Education in Nigeria.

It further noted that the reforms are already aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which it said prioritizes human capital development, quality education, and institutional efficiency.

“Teacher education sits at the heart of this vision because no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers.

“At this critical juncture, Nigeria needs continuity, stability, and credibility in the leadership of the National Commission for Colleges of Education. Experience across Nigeria’s tertiary education system shows that regulatory bodies function best when led by professionals from within the sectors they supervise.”, the union said.

It noted that the National Universities Commission has consistently drawn its Executive Secretaries from the University system, while the National Board for Technical Education has similarly benefited from leadership rooted in the Polytechnic sector.

The union said the practice has ensured insider understanding, stakeholder confidence, and policy continuity, stating that It is both proper and consistent with national precedence that the next Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education should come from
the Colleges of Education sector.

It maintained that such a decision will not only promote fairness across Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape but also ensure the stability required to consolidate ongoing reforms.

“It will help deepen the implementation of the Dual Mandate, strengthen curriculum development, sustain revitalization initiatives, and improve the quality of teacher education nationwide.

“Appointing a tested Colleges-of-Education professional, who grew through the ranks, will also be remembered as a defining milestone of the Minister’s tenure, a
masterstroke that secures his legacy as the Minister who stabilizes teacher education and strengthens Nigeria’s human capital foundation.

“COEASU stands ready to work constructively with government and other stakeholders to ensure that the next Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education possesses the experience, credibility, and insider understanding required to consolidate reforms and move teacher education forward in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“As Nigeria’s future depends on the quality of her teachers, the stability of teacher education today will determine the strength of our universities, polytechnics, industries, and national economy tomorrow.

“We urge all stakeholders to support a decision that promotes continuity, fairness, and National development”, the union noted.

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