The College of Education in Nigeria is a teacher training school. Colleges of education, on the other hand, were established as part of Nigeria’s educational system after the country gained independence in 1960. They were established to train primary and secondary school teachers to give Nigerian students the best instructors who are well-versed in the teaching profession. Teachers in Nigeria are in high demand and will continue to be so.
When it comes to the best colleges of education in Nigeria, there are numerous options to choose from. Nigeria has 152 colleges of education, comprising 21 federal, 82 private, and 49 state institutions. However, this list will provide a summary of the best College of Education in Nigeria.
List of College of Education in Nigeria
1. Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State:
The Adeyemi College of Education, located in Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria, is a federal government higher education school. Its degree programs are related to Obafemi Awolowo University. This university, on the other hand, is widely regarded as Nigeria’s premier educational institution. Canon M. C. Adeyemi, one of Yorubaland’s early educators, was given the name Adeyemi College of Education. He was honored for his significant contribution to educational advancement in the then-Ondo Province.
Furthermore, it was established in 1963 to generate qualified instructors for high schools and teacher training institutes. This institute was also established to do research and experiment on teaching methods across all levels of Nigerian education.
2. Niger State College of Education, Minna:
The old North Western State Government established the Niger State College of Education, Minna, as an advanced teacher’s college. It was founded as a second Advanced Teachers College to address the state’s critical teacher shortage.
Furthermore, the college was formed in Minnesota in 1975. In November 1975, the first class of college students reported. In 1983, the former civilian administration of the second republic elevated the college to the rank of College of Education through Niger State decree N.S.L.N Number 3. This college, on the other hand, is one of Nigeria’s most prestigious educational institutions.
See More: Educational Organization in Nigeria
3. Federal College of Education (Special) in Oyo:
On October 5, 1977, the Federal Institution of Education (Special), Oyo was established as a Federal Advanced Teacher’s College (Special).
According to a UNDP/UNESCO evaluation from 1996, the institution “has the most qualified Special Education Staff not only in Nigeria but also in West, North, East, and Central Africa.” It is currently one of Nigeria’s leading educational institutions.
4. Federal College of Education in Kano:
The College strives to be a recognized leader in market-responsive, competitive, and creative education. This dedication, combined with strategic alignment with the college’s goal of promoting educational advancement by creating a conducive environment for research, teaching, and learning that encourages the production of self-sufficient and relevant goods, has resulted in the development of self-reliant and relevant products.
Furthermore, the institute was established in 1961 as Kano Men’s Training College through a partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Nigerian Ministry of Education.
5. Federal College of Education, Abeokuta:
The Federal College of Education in Abeokuta is a public college that awards successful graduates a National Certificate in Education. It was established in 1976 in Osiele, Ogun State, in Nigeria’s southwest. Dr. Ajayi is currently the provost. The university, on the other hand, provides three-year full-time and five-year sandwich programs that lead to the Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE).
6. College of Education, Warri:
Following the introduction of free primary education in the old Western Region of Nigeria, which included Bendel State, in 1955, there was a significant increase in the number of first-time school leavers.
Due to a scarcity of secondary schools and high school tuition, only a few of these primary school graduates were able to continue their education beyond that level at the time. The former Bendel State Government, on the other hand, implemented free education and books in 1979. As a result, secondary education with qualified teachers is in high demand. Due to this need, the government constructed a significant number of secondary schools, necessitating the hiring of more skilled instructors to staff them.
As a result, the Warri College of Education was established to address the need for qualified instructors in the new secondary schools. On October 2, 1979, the former Bendel State Government established the college as an Advanced Teachers’ College in Ihogbe, Benin City. It was established at the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) in Benin City, with Dr. H.S.A Aluyi serving as the first Provost. On May 5, 1980, His Excellency, Late Professor Ambrose Alli, the State’s Executive Governor, officially opened the College.
See More: Scholarship Opportunity in Nigeria
7. College of Education at Ikere:
On December 5, 1977, an edict established the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti as the state’s primary college, replacing the previous Ondo State College of Education, Ikere Ekiti. The institute was originally meant to be a training center for Technical Education lecturers.
It was designed to be unique in that it would train Technical and Vocational Education instructors rather than academic topics. The College partnered with the then-University of Ife to provide curricular status and recognition. However, it obtained government approval to provide the NCE (Primary) Sandwich Program in 1987, the B.Ed Sandwich Program in 1992, and the B.Ed Regular Program in 2004 (all in conjunction with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka).
8. College of Education in Agbor:
The previous Bendel State Government established the College in October 1979 to train professional teachers, culminating with the issue of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE). The Institute was officially opened on August 18, 1981, a Tuesday, by the late Professor Ambrose F. Alli, the Governor of the erstwhile Bendel State.
Following the creation of Edo and Delta States on August 27, 1991, the College is now under the administration of the Delta State Government. However, due to the creation of additional states, the new Delta State was able to create its university within a few years after its inception. The university mentioned earlier is located in Abraka. In 2006, the College was selected as one of the state’s schools to serve as an external campus for Delta State University, Abraka.
9. Federal College of Education, Obudu:
The Federal College of Education, Obudu, was established as a normal college on November 30, 1982, by His Excellency, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Nigeria’s first President. The College commenced operations at a makeshift location on the grounds of Government Secondary School in Obudu. However, the original temporary facility is now the permanent site, with the College’s planned permanent site at Bebi village, Obanliku Local Government Area, eighteen kilometers along the Obudu-Cattle Ranch Resort route, functioning as a satellite campus.
10. Muftau Lanihun College of Education(MULCOED):
It is located in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Today, it is a network of inclusive learning environments. This college of education has nationally recognized faculties for all levels of students, including undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals. It has produced teachers, administrators, doctors, educational researchers, psychologists, and other professionals.
11. The Tai Solarin College of Education (TASUED)
It was founded in 1978 in Ogun State, Nigeria, and transformed in 2005. It is now recognized as a unique institution due to its high standards.
In addition to being the first in the country, it is also unique in that it is the only college in Nigeria that offers both Bachelor’s degree in education (B.Ed.) programs and trains National Certificate of Education (NCE) graduates in the same academic environment.
Again, in 2005, student figures showed that there were over 12,500 (including degree and non-degree) full-time and part-time students, with a staff strength of over 660, 43% of whom were teaching personnel in all eight schools of the college. Today, it ranks among the greatest in Nigeria.
12. College of Education at Delta State:
It was founded in 1979 to address the need for qualified instructors in primary and secondary schools. However, the then-government of Bendel State founded it as an advanced teaching institution in Ihogbe, Benin City. Dr. H.S.A. Aliyu served as its founding provost before it was officially established. Today, it is among the greatest colleges in the country.
13. College of Education, Akwa Ibom State:
It is located in Afaha Nsit, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Today, it enrolls a large number of students on an annual basis. This college is doing similarly well in terms of educational quality. This is because it develops high-quality instructors for Akwa Ibom State’s primary and secondary schools.
As of 2024, this college is ranked among the top in the country, and many students apply to their programs.
14. College of Education, Zuba:
It was founded in 1996 in Zuba, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and was initially housed in a defunct teachers’ college. Recently, this college has expanded and now competes with even older colleges in the country in terms of academics and other areas.
Again, in 2000, this college of education was closed due to the need for restructuring. It was reopened in 2001 with higher academic standards. As of 2024, it is well-known for its excellent teacher training curricula. It provides educational programs or courses for undergraduates and postgraduates and maintains a high level of academic performance. Today, it is one of the greatest in Nigeria, and students apply for their programs.
Conclusion
When Nigeria gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1960, the College of Education in Nigeria became an integral part of the Nigerian educational system. They were established to train teachers to deliver the best instructors to Nigerian children in elementary and secondary schools who are well-versed in the teaching profession.