…COEASU awards N3.5m to outstanding students
The Federal Government has granted approval for the concurrent running of degree programmes alongside the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in colleges of education across the country.
This significant development, known as the Dual Mode, is expected to enhance access to teacher education, address low enrolment rates, and improve the overall quality of professional teachers in Nigeria.
Professor Paulinus Chijioke, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges Education (NCCE), made this announcement during the 2024 National Teachers’ Day celebration hosted by the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
According to him, this policy will open more opportunities for prospective teachers, encouraging more individuals to pursue teaching careers.
“This will allow our colleges of education to elevate their standards, attract brighter individuals, and ensure the professionalization of teaching in the country,” Chijioke stated.
In a further commendation of the move, Dr Smart Olugbeko, President of COEASU, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing into law the Colleges of Education Establishment Act. This Act grants colleges the autonomy to award degrees in teacher education in addition to their existing NCE programmes.
“In line with the implications of the dual mandate, we have continually charged all members of our union to refocus towards higher academic attainments, professional excellence, and productivity,” Olugbeko said, emphasizing the need for professional development among lecturers in these institutions.
He went on to highlight the union’s efforts to ensure that the qualification criteria for career progression in colleges of education match international standards, paving the way for the institution of a professorial cadre.
COEASU Awards N3.5 Million to Outstanding Students
As part of its recognition of academic excellence, COEASU awarded a total of N3.5 million to six exceptional students, each representing one of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The recipients were celebrated during the 2024 International Teachers’ Day event, which had the theme, “Valuing Teachers’ Voices Towards Repositioning Teacher Education in Nigeria.”
President of COEASU, Dr Olugbeko, explained that the initiative was designed to promote academic excellence within the college of education system.
“Our Union has instituted a scholarship for the best student in the College of Education system in Nigeria. Through a transparent, objective, and externally coordinated process of examinations, we determined the best students in colleges of education within each zone, as well as the overall best among them,” Olugbeko remarked.
The six students who received the awards are:
Nwachukwu Chioma Ruth, North-Central, Nasarawa State College of Education, Akwanga.
Musa Abdullahi Musa, North-East, Aminu Saleh College of Education, Azare, Bauchi.
Nusaiba Awwal Barau, North-West, Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso, Kano State.
Nwoha Johnson Obinna, South-East, Benjamin Uwajomogu State College of Education, Ihite Uboma, Imo State.
Ezeanofu Chisom Miracle, South-South, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta.
Latona Mubarak, South-West, Federal College of Education, Iwo, Osun State, who also emerged as the overall best student in Nigeria.
Government’s Commitment to Teacher Welfare
During the award ceremony, Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s dedication to improving the welfare of teachers.
Alongside COEASU’s scholarship awards, he announced that the government would provide additional scholarships to the six outstanding students.
He directed that their data be submitted to the Federal Scholarship Board for immediate processing and urged Nigerians to view teaching as a noble profession.
“We must see teaching not just as an activity, but as a professional calling,” Dr Sununu emphasized.
He further praised the collaboration between the Ministry of Education and key unions such as COEASU and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The guest speaker at the event, Prof. Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, former Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), called for a renewed focus on improving teacher welfare through better remuneration and regular professional development opportunities.
He also advocated for increased funding for education infrastructure and emphasized the importance of modern classrooms, technological resources, and a robust nationwide teacher recruitment campaign.
Ajiboye underscored the need to involve teachers, unions, and communities in key decision-making processes to ensure the successful repositioning of Nigeria’s teacher education system.
