NCCE Shuts Down 22 Illegal Colleges of Education

The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has clamped down on 22 illegal institutions posing as Colleges of Education across Nigeria.

The move came during a nationwide crackdown on unaccredited schools, which the commission described as a major threat to the integrity of the education sector. In its report of recent achievements, the agency confirmed, “The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country. The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education.”

The discovery aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to purge the country of fake higher institutions. Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, the President — represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu — urged the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE to stamp out what he called “certificate millers” undermining academic credibility.

Tinubu stressed that his administration would not allow the nation’s education system to be compromised. “At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” he said.

He further explained that agencies like the NYSC, JAMB, NUC, NBTE, and NCCE are already working in synergy to tackle cases of forgery and ensure only recognised institutions thrive. “The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem,” the President added.

The NCCE’s action is expected to restore confidence in teacher training institutions while discouraging fraudulent operators.