BREAKING: Colleges Of Education To Begin Awarding Degrees From September 2025 – Education Minister
The Federal Government has announced that colleges of education across the country will begin awarding bachelor’s degrees alongside the National Certificate in Education (NCE) from September 2025.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, revealed this during a follow-up meeting held in Abuja, addressing resolutions from the previous biannual stakeholders’ summit.
Alausa explained that the dual mandate—allowing colleges of education to grant both NCE and bachelor’s degrees—was signed into law in 2023 after extensive consultations and committee recommendations.
Initially slated for implementation in the 2024/2025 academic session, the rollout has now been officially rescheduled to commence in September 2025.
According to the minister, the new policy is expected to revitalise the nation’s colleges of education by boosting enrolment and eliminating the longstanding demand for conversion into universities. “With this dual mandate, there is no need for conversion to university status. You should be the ones pushing for implementation, not the other way around. It’s a matter of your survival,” Alausa said.
Highlighting the importance of innovation in education, Alausa called on educators to embrace technology and develop new teaching strategies that align with 21st-century learning standards. “The way we taught 30 or 50 years ago is no longer relevant. Education and teaching methods are evolving. You must start thinking about how to use technology in the classroom,” he urged.
He also stressed the urgency of addressing the educational challenges the country is facing. “We once had a strong educational system, and that’s what we are working hard to restore. All hands are on deck to achieve this,” Alausa stated.
Touching on broader goals, he emphasised the importance of tackling learning poverty and the rising number of out-of-school children. “We must tackle the high number of out-of-school children and reduce learning poverty across the country. As teachers, you are at the centre of driving this change, and you must also challenge yourselves,” he said.
The Minister further urged colleges of education to support the dual mandate reform, warning that resistance could threaten their relevance. “The government has secured the future of colleges of education. It is now up to you to sustain them. Failure to embrace this mandate could lead to extinction,” he warned.
