The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr. Angela Ajala, has called for urgent reforms in teacher education, warning that Nigeria’s future is at risk if the sector continues to suffer neglect.
Dr. Ajala made the call during a courtesy visit by members of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ECAN) to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
She expressed concern over what she described as decades of neglect, misrepresentation and declining respect for the teaching profession, stressing that no nation can develop beyond the quality of its teachers.
According to her, teachers occupy a central role in national development because every professional and leader in society passes through the classroom.
“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. Teacher education lies at the heart of national development,” she said.
The NCCE boss noted that while damaged machines and vehicles can be repaired, the consequences of poor teaching can affect learners for a lifetime and ultimately impact society.
She urged the media to play a more active role in promoting the importance of teacher education and supporting ongoing reforms within the sector.
“What you report shapes public opinion, influences policy conversations and changes mindsets. We need responsible reporting that reflects the true importance of teacher education,” Ajala stated.
Defending the recent policy that removed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for admission into Colleges of Education, she dismissed claims that the move would lower academic standards.
According to her, UTME is primarily a placement and ranking examination and should not be regarded as the sole measure of academic ability.
Dr. Ajala also warned of a looming teacher shortage, revealing that some Colleges of Education currently have very low enrolment figures across several programmes.
“In some colleges, you find only about 30 students spread across 10 programmes. The attrition rate is alarming. If we do not act now, Nigeria may not have enough teachers in the near future,” she cautioned.
She stressed the need for deliberate efforts to attract more students into teacher-training institutions to ensure a steady supply of qualified educators for the country’s growing population.
Earlier, Chairman of the Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria, Mr. Chuks Ukwuatu, congratulated Dr. Ajala on her appointment as the first female Executive Secretary of the NCCE, describing her emergence as a significant milestone in the Commission’s history.