Minister says most federal education colleges now award both degrees and NCE qualifications.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said that most federal colleges of education in Nigeria now operate a dual‑mandate system, allowing students to obtain the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and a Bachelor of Education degree at the same time.

Alausa made the statement on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He noted that the scheme was launched in 2025 to strengthen teacher education and boost enrolment in colleges of education.

According to the minister, students admitted to these institutions start with the NCE programme; after three years, those who meet university admission criteria can continue for an additional two years to complete a degree programme.

“From last year alone, dual‑mandate colleges of education and all federal colleges of education today, most of them, except the ones that were founded five years and below, now offer dual‑mandate degree.

“That student will now go, they’ll enter as an NCE, they’ll do three years. After three years, if they meet the requirement to go to universities, which is five credits, they’ll continue and do another two years and get two degrees.

“Five years, you get NCE, National College of Education Diploma, and you get a Bachelor of Education degree,” he said.

The minister said the reform has enhanced the sustainability of colleges of education and increased student enrolment.

“That has really now put colleges of education into sustainability for the future. So we’ve had more traction of students going. We need a better pool of more teachers, high‑quality teachers,” he added.

Alausa explained that the arrangement mirrors the pathway from national diploma programmes in polytechnics to university degrees.

He indicated that about 28 federal colleges of education have already started the programme, while state‑owned colleges are expected to begin implementation in the 2026 academic session after amending relevant state laws.

“Now, for the state colleges of education, they now have to change their individual state legislation to make that happen.

“I think, as of the last count, we have almost 18 states or 17 states that have done that.

“They would also be doing that from this 2026 academic session. That’s a huge change in our colleges of education,” he said.

The minister clarified that students who do not meet the O’level requirements for university admission after completing the NCE programme will exit with only the NCE qualification.

“If you don’t meet those requirements, you terminate at NCE. But the key thing, beyond opening up more access, is to now create pool,” Alausa stated.