The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has urged the federal government to appoint a professional from within the College of Education as the next Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
The union made the appeal in a statement signed by its President, Ahmed Bazza, ahead of the expiration of the current Executive Secretary’s tenure in March.
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The current executive secretary, Paulinus Okwelle, a professor, was appointed in March 2021.
The union stated that Nigeria is at a “critical juncture” in its teacher education reforms and needs stability in the leadership of the regulatory body overseeing Colleges of Education.
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According to the NCCE Act, an executive secretary must have experience in teacher education.
“There shall be appointed by the President, on the recommendation of the Minister, an executive secretary to the Commission, who shall have appropriate qualification and experience in teacher education,” section 7(1) of the Commission’s Act reads.
The current executive secretary holds a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Education and a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) in Industrial Technical Education.
He worked at the Rivers State College of Education (now Ignatius Ajuru University of Education), the Federal College of Education (Technical), Bichi, Kano State, the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State, and later at Rivers State University, where he became a professor.
The union argued that regulatory agencies function best when led by professionals drawn from within the sectors they supervise.
The statement said choosing a professional who rose through the Colleges of Education system would help consolidate reforms, deepen the Dual Mandate, strengthen curriculum development and sustain revitalisation efforts.
They cited the example of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), which traditionally appoint Executive Secretaries from the university and polytechnic systems, respectively.
“Appointing a tested Colleges-of-Education professional who grew through the ranks will be remembered as a defining milestone of the Honourable Minister’s tenure,” the statement said.
“It is therefore both proper and consistent with national precedence that the next Executive Secretary of the NCCE should come from the Colleges of Education sector.”
Teacher education central to national development
The union commended the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, for his “historic contributions” to the sector, particularly the implementation of the dual Mandate and the protection of revitalisation funds for Colleges of Education.
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It also praised the minister’s role in resolving long-standing renegotiation disputes in the tertiary education sector through the Yayale Ahmed Committee framework.
According to the union, the reforms align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises human capital development and quality education.
“Teacher education sits at the heart of this vision because no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” the union stated.
The union also pledged to work with the government and stakeholders to ensure that the next NCCE Executive Secretary possesses the experience and credibility required to move the sector forward.
“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,” the statement said.
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