FG Advocates Skills Acquisition in Colleges Amid Teacher Shortage

The Federal Government of Nigeria is advocating for the integration of skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programs in colleges of education to tackle the significant teacher deficit in the country. Suwaiba Ahmad, the Minister of State for Education, made this call during the opening of the 2nd Annual National Conference of the Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education in Abuja on Tuesday.

She stressed the importance of equipping graduates with practical competencies to create jobs and contribute meaningfully to the economy. Ahmad noted ongoing reforms, including a dual mandate policy that allows colleges to award Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and Bachelor’s degrees, alongside a student venture capital grant of N50 million to support student-led innovations.

Angela Ajala, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education, raised concerns about a growing shortage of qualified teachers, revealing a deficit of nearly 200,000 at the basic education level and a decline in college enrollments. The conference aimed to redesign teacher education to meet modern realities.