FG Shuts 22 Illegal Territory Institutions

The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has shut down 22 unaccredited Colleges of Education following a nationwide crackdown on illegal tertiary institutions.

According to The PUNCH, the commission stated that the affected institutions failed to meet its required operational standards after the NCCE conducted a comprehensive personnel audit and financial monitoring across all 21 federal colleges of education.

“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 commission said.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently directed the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the NCCE to eliminate illegal higher education institutions nationwide.

Speaking at the 14th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, the President ordered the NUC, NBTE, and other agencies to take firm action against what he described as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s education system.

Tinubu, represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, stressed that the integrity of the academic sector must be protected at all costs.

“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,” the President said.

He added, “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.”