By Joseph Erunke, Abuja
ABUJA — The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr. (Mrs.) Angela Ajala, has warned that Nigeria’s future is at risk if urgent reforms are not made in the country’s teacher education system.
Ajala said no nation can develop beyond the quality of its teachers, stressing that the teaching profession remains central to national development.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) in Abuja, she lamented what she described as decades of neglect, poor perception and declining respect for teachers in the country.
“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.
She argued that teachers play a more critical role in shaping society than many other professions, noting that poor teaching can have long-term consequences on generations of learners.
Ajala urged the media to help reshape public perception of the teaching profession, describing journalists as key partners in ongoing education reforms.
“You are not just reporters; you are reformers,” she told the ECAN delegation.
She recalled a time when teachers were highly respected in society, lamenting that the profession has since lost its status and appeal.
The NCCE boss also defended the removal of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for admission into Colleges of Education, saying the policy was based on evidence and projections.
According to her, UTME should not be viewed as the ultimate measure of academic ability, but as a placement test.
Ajala warned that Nigeria may face a severe shortage of teachers within six years if enrolment into Colleges of Education is not urgently improved.
“In some colleges, you find only about 30 students across 10 programmes. If we do not act now, Nigeria may not have enough teachers in the near future,” she said.
She explained that ongoing reforms, including the dual mandate for Colleges of Education, are aimed at improving graduates’ competitiveness by allowing them to earn multiple qualifications, including the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE), degrees and professional certifications.
Ajala also said curriculum reforms are being implemented to align teacher training with global standards, insisting that Nigeria is not far behind leading education systems if reforms are properly executed.
Earlier, ECAN Chairman, Mr. Chuks Ukwuatu, commended Ajala’s leadership and pledged continued support for objective reporting of education policies.
He also announced plans for an upcoming education conference aimed at assessing reforms in the sector under the current administration.
