205 COEs inadequate for Nigeria – Abbas

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass has stated the about 205 federal, state and privately-owned Colleges of Education (COEs) across Nigeria were still inadequate to meet the educational needs of the country.

Speaking in Abuja during a public hearing on bills seeking the establishment of 10 federal COEs, Abbas said that the growing demand of education in the country made the demand for more colleges of education imperative.

“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”, he said.

Chairman of the House Committee on Colleges of Education, Adamu Tanko in his remarks 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.

According to him, 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.