FAVOUR ISHEMBER, Abuja
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Ajala, has lamented decades of neglect, misrepresentation, and diminished respect for teaching. She insisted the time had come to restore teachers to the centre of national development.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by members of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja, Ajala challenged the narrative that teaching is a profession of last resort, calling it a dangerous misconception that has weakened the education system. She said teachers wield more influence than many professions. “You can fix a faulty car. But when a teacher damages a child in the classroom, that damage can last a lifetime. Those children become the future professionals and leaders of society,” she warned.
“If you get it wrong with a teacher, just know that Nigeria is finished. Every engineer, doctor, scientist, entrepreneur, politician and leader passes through the hands of a teacher. Teacher education lies at the heart of national development,” she declared.
She urged ECAN journalists to be more than reporters. “You are not just reporters; you are reformers,” she told the delegation led by Chairman Mr. Chucks Ukwuatu. “What you report shapes public opinion, influences policy conversations and changes mindsets. We need responsible reporting that reflects the true importance of teacher education.”
The NCCE boss recalled when teachers commanded deep respect in Nigerian communities. “Something went wrong along the way. We moved from a society where teachers were highly respected to one where people say, ‘If you have nothing else to do, go and become a teacher.’ That narrative must change.”
Ajala defended the policy removing UTME for Colleges of Education admission. She dismissed claims that standards would drop, saying UTME is just a two-hour placement exam, not an achievement test. “Decisions like these were not taken arbitrarily; they were based on evidence, data and projections about the future of teacher education in Nigeria.”
She warned Nigeria could face a severe teacher shortage in six years without urgent action. Some colleges have only 30 students across 10 programmes, and attrition is alarming. “If we do not act now, Nigeria may not have enough teachers in the near future,” she cautioned.
On reforms, Ajala said the new dual mandate for Colleges of Education will make graduates globally competitive. Students will now earn multiple qualifications: the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE), a degree, and globally recognised skills certification. “Who else offers that opportunity? Colleges of Education are becoming institutions where students can earn multiple qualifications and acquire international skills.”
The Commission is also revising curricula to match international standards. “People often cite Finland, Singapore and other countries as models. When you compare their curricula with ours, you will find that Nigeria is not far behind. What we need is proper implementation and a change in perception.”
Earlier, ECAN Chairman Ukwuatu congratulated Ajala as the first female Executive Secretary of NCCE, calling it a milestone. He pledged objective reporting and informed the NCCE boss about ECAN’s forthcoming Education Conference and Awards to assess reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Both parties ended the visit agreeing to deepen collaboration to strengthen public understanding of teacher education and accelerate reforms across Nigeria’s colleges of education.
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