COEASU insists on insider leadership for NCCE

As the tenure of the current Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) winds down in March, the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has called for the appointment of a seasoned professional from the Colleges of Education sector to sustain ongoing reforms. In a statement signed by its National […]

As the tenure of the current Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) winds down in March, the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has called for the appointment of a seasoned professional from the Colleges of Education sector to sustain ongoing reforms.

In a statement signed by its National President, Ahmed Lawan Bazza, COEASU commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for what it described as “historic contributions” to teacher education.

 

The union noted that the Minister’s commitment to the full implementation of the Dual Mandate and his protection of revitalization funding had “rekindled hope across our campuses and restored confidence in Nigeria’s teacher-training institutions.”

COEASU also praised Dr. Alausa’s innovative approach in resolving the long-standing renegotiation challenge by harmonizing union negotiations under the Yayale Ahmed Committee framework.

 

According to the union, this “forward‑thinking approach has averted industrial crises and restored long‑needed stability to the tertiary education sector.”

The statement stressed that these reforms align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes human capital development, quality education, and institutional efficiency. “Teacher education sits at the heart of this vision because no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” COEASU said.

Highlighting precedents in other regulatory bodies, the union argued that the National Universities Commission has consistently drawn its Executive Secretaries from the university system, while the National Board for Technical Education has benefited from leadership rooted in the polytechnic sector.

“It is therefore both proper and consistent with national precedent that the next Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education should come from the Colleges of Education sector,” the statement added.

COEASU maintained that such an appointment would ensure continuity, fairness, and stability, while deepening curriculum development and strengthening teacher education nationwide.

“Appointing a tested Colleges‑of‑Education professional, who grew through the ranks, will also be remembered as a defining milestone of the Honourable Minister’s tenure—a masterstroke that secures his legacy as the Minister who stabilizes teacher education and strengthens Nigeria’s human capital foundation,” Dr. Bazza declared.

The union urged stakeholders to support the move, stressing that “Nigeria’s future depends on the quality of her teachers, and the stability of teacher education today will determine the strength of our universities, polytechnics, industries, and national economy tomorrow.”