“Federal Colleges Of Education May Be Converted To Universities” –
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has revealed that the federal government is considering converting all federal colleges of education into universities of education.
Alausa made this announcement, while defending the ministry’s budget before the joint House of Representatives Committees on Education.
According to the minister, the proposal stems from the declining interest of students in Colleges of Education, despite the federal government’s budgetary allocations to them.
“Do we need these colleges of education? They don’t exist in the United States of America and several other advanced countries. Let us convert them to universities of education,” Alausa stated.
Highlighting the declining student population, Alausa pointed out that some federal colleges of education have fewer than 1,000 students. This, he argued, makes it necessary to reassess their relevance in the Nigerian education system.
The proposed transition aligns with global educational trends, where teacher education is increasingly being conducted at the university level rather than through standalone colleges.
Speaking on the 2025 education budget, Alausa emphasized that the financial plan is designed to align with President Bola Tinubu’s eight-priority agenda. The minister said the government’s education roadmap for 2024-2027 aims to:
- Encourage school enrollment by providing opportunities for children to return to school.
- Enhance learning environments to ensure they are safer and more conducive.
- Improve teacher capacity to deliver curricula that are globally competitive.
- Strengthen tertiary institutions to develop a skilled workforce for national development.
The minister provided a detailed breakdown of the N2.5 trillion allocated for education in the 2025 budget:
- Ministry of Education – ₦348.3 billion
- Parastatals – ₦816.7 billion
- Polytechnics – ₦226.7 billion
- Colleges of Education – ₦139.3 billion
- Universities – ₦811.9 billion
- Unity Colleges – ₦171.6 billion
- UNESCO Paris – ₦3.1 billion
Additionally, Alausa disclosed that Nigeria currently has 54 federal universities, 36 federal polytechnics, 32 federal colleges of education, and 118 federal unity colleges. The unity colleges are categorized into conventional, science, and technical institutions, with some being dedicated exclusively to technical education.
Abubakar Hassan Fulata, Chairman of the House Committee on University Education and leader of the joint Committee, assured that lawmakers will take all necessary measures to prevent disruptions in the education sector.
He emphasized the importance of efficient utilization of allocated funds, urging the ministry and relevant institutions to ensure prudent financial management.
Fulata also issued a warning to heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), cautioning them against ignoring legislative invitations.
“Lawmakers carry out checks in line with the provisions of the constitution in order to ensure the MDAs are encouraged to do the right thing,” he stated.
If the federal government proceeds with the plan to convert Colleges of Education into universities, it could lead to:
- A shift in teacher training, requiring higher academic qualifications for future educators.
- Potential closure or merging of institutions with low enrollment.
- Improved global competitiveness in Nigeria’s education sector.
As deliberations continue, stakeholders in the education sector will be watching closely to see how this proposal unfolds in the coming months.
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