Reps, Others Push For Creation Of More Colleges of Education
By Juliet Vincent
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, stakeholders in the education sector have on Tuesday called for the creation of more Federal Colleges of Education in the country in order to meet the need to have quality teachers in the country.
They made the call in their separate submissions at the public hearing on 10 Bills seeking the establishment of 10 additional Federal Colleges of Education in different parts of the country.
Declaring the public hearing open, the Speaker, Abbas Tajuddeen said that despite having about 205 federal, state and privately-owned colleges of education across the country, the number still remain inadequate to meet the educational needs of the country.
He noted that, the growing demand of education in the country makes the demand for more colleges of education more imperative.
He said, “Currently, Nigeria has about 205 federal, state and privately-owned colleges of education. On the face value, this number looks substantial. However, when considered against the backdrop of Nigeria’s population of about 230 million, with over 60% under the age of 24 years, the demand for education makes the number of existing colleges of education in Nigeria quite insignificant.
“Therefore, these bills seeking to establish ten (10) colleges of education should be seen as relevant, appropriate and justified.”
Speaker Abbas said human capital is the key driver of development in any society, adding that material resources, though important, will remain latent until they are activated and galvanized by human knowledge, skills and innovation for national development, social mobility and economic empowerment.
He further stated that at the core of human capital development is education, adding that “one way to sustain education is through the ceaseless production of well-trained and highly skilled teachers for primary and secondary education.
The Speaker added, “It is pertinent, therefore, that we continue to strengthen teacher education in Nigeria by expanding access to quality institutions that will train the next generation of educators”.
According to him, the bills under consideration reflect the collective commitment as lawmakers to ensuring that every region of the country has equitable access to quality teacher education.
He added, “the establishment of new Federal Colleges of Education will not only improve the training of professional teachers, but will also foster educational development, create employment opportunities, and stimulate socio-economic growth in the host communities.
“The House recognizes the urgent need to expand access to quality teacher education, especially in underserved regions. These bills before the Committee today represent a significant step in ensuring equitable distribution of educational institutions, fostering national integration, and promoting human capital development.
“The proposed Federal Colleges of Education will not only train future teachers but also contribute to research, innovation, and the socio-economic growth of their host communities.”
The Speaker said the public hearing serves as a critical step in the legislative process, providing stakeholders the opportunity to contribute to the refinement of these bills, adding that the House believes strongly in inclusive governance and stakeholder engagement.
He said the discussions will enrich the understanding of the needs and expectations of the education sector while encouraging participants, education experts, policymakers, community leaders, and the general public present here to engage constructively, offering in-depth perspectives that will help shape policies, aiming to strengthen Nigeria’s education sector.
In his remark, Chairman of the House Committee on Colleges of Education, Hon. Adamu Tanko said Education remain the bedrock of national development, adding that as representatives of the people, the House is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian has access to quality teacher education
He said the establishment of new federal colleges of education is a critical step in addressing the gaps in teacher training, strengthening the educational sector and building skilled workforce needed to drive national development.
Hon. Tanko who also sponsored one of the bills to establish FCE Suleja, said the public hearing provides an opportunity for robust engagement among key stakeholders, including policy makers, education experts, community leaders and members of the public.
Another sponsor of one of the Bills, House Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere lamented that many of the nation’s schools lack quality teachers hence the need to have more training institutions that will enhance the manpower need.
Also speaking, Anamero Dekeri who is sponsoring the Federal College of Education Technical in Ogute-Oke, Okpella harped on the need to focus on technical education to advance the course of development in the country.
Dekeri who represents Etsako Federal Constituency of Edo state said the college when established will harness the available potential in the area.
