By Edith Tsokar
The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr Angela Ajala, has said that Nigeria’s future development depended on the quality of its teachers.
Ajala said this on Tuesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by members of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN), to her office.
She lamented what she described as decades of neglect and declining public regard for the teaching profession, and stressed the urgent need for attention to be given to teacher education.
She noted that no nation could rise above the quality of its teachers, as every professional and leader passed through the hands of a teacher.
”If you get it wrong with a teacher, just know that Nigeria is finished. Every engineer, doctor, scientist, entrepreneur, politician and leader passed through the hands of a teacher. Teacher education lies at the heart of national development,” she said.
The NCCE boss disagreed with the perception that teaching was a profession of last resort.
According to her, that is a dangerous narrative that has undermined the education system.
She said that while damaged machines could be repaired, the consequences of poor teaching could affect generations of learners.
“You can fix a faulty car. But when a teacher damages a child in the classroom, that damage can last a lifetime,” she said.
Ajala urged education journalists to support efforts aimed at restoring the image of the teaching profession, describing the media as a critical stakeholder in education reforms.
”You are not just reporters; you are reformers. What you report shapes public opinion, influences policy conversations and changes mindsets.
“We need responsible reporting that reflects the true importance of teacher education,” she said.
Ajala recalled a period when teachers enjoyed high levels of respect in society and expressed concern over the decline in the profession’s status.
”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,” she emphasised.
On the recent removal of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for admission into colleges of education, she defended the policy, saying it was informed by evidence and projections about the future needs of the sector.
She argued that UTME was primarily a placement and ranking examination and should not be viewed as the sole determinant of academic ability.
”What is UTME? It is a two-hour examination. It is 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 said.
She warned that Nigeria could face a significant shortage of teachers within the next six years, if enrolment in teacher-training institutions were not increased.
”In some colleges, you find only about 30 students spread across 10 programmes. The attrition rate is alarming. If we do not act now, Nigeria may not have enough teachers in the near future,” she said.
The NCCE executive secretary also highlighted ongoing reforms in Colleges of Education, including the implementation of the dual mandate policy, which allowed institutions to award both the (NCE) and bachelor’s degrees.
She explained that the initiative would enable graduates to acquire multiple qualifications and globally recognised skills that would enhance their competitiveness in the labour market.
She also revealed that the commission was reviewing curricula across colleges of education to align teacher training with global standards and emerging educational realities.
Earlier, the Chairman of ECAN, Mr Chuks Ukwuatu, congratulated Ajala on her appointment as the first female executive secretary of the NCCE, describing it as a landmark achievement for the commission.
Ukwuatu assured the commission of ECAN’s commitment to objective and constructive reporting of educational policies and programmes.
He said the association remained dedicated to promoting national development through informed coverage of educational issues.
He added that plans were ongoing to disclose its forthcoming Educational Conference and Awards to assess reforms in the sector under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The visit ended with both parties expressing readiness to strengthen collaboration aimed at improving public understanding of teacher education and supporting reforms in Nigeria’s colleges of education.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deborah Coker
