By Our Correspondent
National News – The Federal Government has revealed that most federal colleges of education in Nigeria now operate a dual-mandate system that allows students to graduate with both the Nigeria Certificate in Education and a Bachelor of Education degree.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.
Alausa explained that the policy, introduced in 2025, was designed to improve teacher education, boost student enrolment and strengthen the future of colleges of education across Nigeria.
According to him, students begin with the NCE programme and can proceed to earn a degree after meeting university admission requirements.
He stated that students spend three years in the NCE programme before advancing to an additional two-year degree programme if they secure the required five O’level credits.
At the end of the five-year period, successful students graduate with both qualifications.
The minister noted that most federal colleges of education, except recently established institutions, have already adopted the dual-mandate structure.
He added that the reform has increased interest in colleges of education and created a larger pool of qualified teachers for the country’s education sector.
Alausa further explained that the programme works similarly to the transition from National Diploma to degree programmes in Nigerian polytechnics.
He disclosed that about 28 federal colleges have commenced the initiative, while several state-owned colleges are preparing to implement the system from the 2026 academic session after amending their laws.
According to him, nearly 18 states have already updated their legislation to support the programme.
However, students who fail to meet the admission requirements after completing their NCE studies will graduate with only the NCE qualification.
The minister stressed that the initiative is aimed at expanding access to higher education while improving the quality of teachers in Nigeria’s schools.
