The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Ajala, has warned that Nigeria’s future could be at risk if urgent reforms are not implemented in the country’s teacher education system. She stressed that the quality of teachers directly determines the quality of national development.
Ajala made the remarks during a courtesy visit by the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja, where she highlighted decades of neglect, poor public perception and declining respect for the teaching profession.
She said no nation can rise above the quality of its teachers, noting that virtually every professional including engineers, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, politicians and leaders passes through the hands of teachers. According to her, errors in the education system have long-term consequences for society.
“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,” she said, while urging the media to help reshape public perception of the profession.
Ajala also warned that Nigeria could face a serious shortage of teachers within the next six years if enrolment into Colleges of Education is not urgently improved. She noted that some institutions currently have very low student numbers across multiple programmes, a trend she said is unsustainable.
She explained that ongoing reforms in the sector, including the dual mandate policy for Colleges of Education, are designed to improve graduate outcomes by enabling students to earn multiple qualifications. ECAN Chairman, Mr. Chuks Ukwuatu, commended the reforms and pledged continued support for accurate reporting of education policies, while also announcing plans for an upcoming education conference to assess progress in the sector.
Elijah Adeyemi
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