Best Colleges of Education in Nigeria: The College of Education is a teacher-training institution. Colleges of education, on the other hand, formed part of the Nigerian educational system following the country’s independence in 1960. They were founded to train primary and secondary school teachers in order to provide Nigerian kids with the best instructors who are well-rounded in the teaching profession. Teachers in Nigeria are in great demand and will continue to be so.

When it comes to the greatest schools of education in Nigeria, there is a large list to pick from. In Nigeria, there are 152 colleges of education, including 21 federal, 82 private, and 49 state institutions. However, this list would provide a summary of the greatest educational institutions.

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Top 15 Best Federal and State College of Education in Nigeria 2024

1. Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State: In Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria, the Adeyemi College of Education is a federal government institution of higher education. Its degree programs are linked with Obafemi Awolowo University. This institution, on the other hand, is often recognized as Nigeria’s top educational institution. Canon M. C. Adeyemi, one of Yorubaland’s early educators, was honored with the name Adeyemi College of Education. In appreciation of his enormous contribution to educational growth in the then-Ondo Province, he was named.

Furthermore, it was founded in 1963 with the goal of producing trained instructors for high schools and teacher training institutes. This institute was also created to undertake research and experimentation on teaching techniques at all levels of Nigerian education. They officially opened their doors on May 22, 1964, with 93 pupils, 24 women and 69 males.

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2. Federal College of Education, Zaria: In Zaria, you’ll find the Federal College of Education. In 1959, the Federal Ministry of Education recommended it as one of four advanced teaching institutions. In May 1963, the company was awarded permission to begin operations.

The College, however, was formally inaugurated on November 1, 1962, with an initial enrollment of 150 students. The Federal College of Education in Zaria is currently Nigeria’s second-best educational institution.

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3. Niger State College of Education, Minna: The former North Western State Government created the Niger State College of Education, Minna as an advanced teacher’s college. It was established as a second Advanced Teachers College to help fulfill the state’s pressing teacher shortage.

Furthermore, the college was established in 1975 in Minna. In November 1975, the first class of students admitted to the college reported. The former civilian administration of the second republic raised the college to the rank of College of Education in 1983 by the Niger State decree N.S.L.N Number 3 of 1983. This college, on the other hand, is one of Nigeria’s greatest educational institutions.

4. Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo: On October 5, 1977, the Federal Institution of Education (Special), Oyo was formed as a Federal Advanced Teacher’s college (Special).

According to a UNDP/UNESCO assessment from 1996, the institution “has the most qualified Special Education Staff not only in Nigeria but also in West, North, East, and Central Africa.” It is presently one of Nigeria’s premier educational institutions.

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5. Federal College of Education, Kano: The College is dedicated to being a recognized leader in market-responsive, competitive, and creative education.

This dedication, along with strategic alignment with the college objective to promote educational advancement by creating a suitable environment for research, teaching, and learning that fosters the production of self-sufficient and relevant goods, has resulted in the development of self-reliant and relevant products.

Furthermore, the institute was founded in 1961 as Kano Men’s Training College via the collaboration of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Nigerian Ministry of Education.

6. Federal College of Education, Abeokuta: The Federal College of Education in Abeokuta is a public college that grants successful graduates a National Certificate in Education. It was created in 1976 in Osiele, Ogun State, Nigeria’s south west. Dr. Ajayi is the current provost.

The institution, on the other hand, offers three-year full-time and five-year sandwich programmes that culminate to the achievement of the Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE).

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7. College of Education, Warri: There was a considerable number of first school leaving certificate holders following the adoption of free primary education in the old Western Region of Nigeria, of which Bendel State was a part, which began in 1955.

Due to a lack of secondary schools and the high school fees imposed, only a small number of these primary school grads were able to continue their education beyond that level at the time. The former Bendel State Government, on the other hand, established free education and free books in 1979. As a result, secondary school education with skilled instructors is in great demand. As a result of this demand, the government established a large number of secondary schools, which necessitated the hiring of more competent instructors to staff them.

As a result, the Warri College of Education was formed to help satisfy the need for competent instructors for the new secondary schools. On the 2nd of October, 1979, the erstwhile Bendel State Government founded the college as an Advanced Teachers’ College in Ihogbe, Benin City. It was based in the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) in Benin City, and its first Provost was Dr. H.S.A Aluyi. His Excellency, Late Professor Ambrose Alli, the Executive Governor of the State, however, officially launched the College on May 5, 1980.

8. College of Education, Ikere: With an Edict on December 5, 1977, the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti was created as the state’s primary college, replacing the old Ondo State College of Education, Ikere Ekiti. The institute was originally intended to serve as a training center for Technical Education instructors.

It was supposed to be distinctive in that it would focus on training Technical and Vocational Education instructors rather than academic subjects. The College was linked with the then University of Ife to offer its curriculum status and recognition. However, it received government clearance to offer the NCE (Primary) Sandwich Program in 1987, the B.Ed Sandwich Program in 1992, and the B.Ed Regular Program in 2004 (all in collaboration with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka).

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9. College of Education, Agbor: The previous Bendel State Government created the College in October 1979 to engage in the training of professional teachers, which would culminate to the issuance of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE).  The Institute was opened  officially on August 18th,1981, which was on a Tuesday by the deceased Professor Ambrose F. Alli, the Governor at that time of the old Bendel State.

The College is presently controlled by the Delta State Government, following the formation of Edo and Delta States on August 27, 1991. However, it was because of the emergence of new states that the new Delta State was able to establish her own university within a few years after its inception. Abraka is the location of the aforementioned university. The College was designated as among the schools in the state to serve as an external campus to Delta State University, Abraka, in 2006.

10. Federal College of Education, Obudu: The Federal College of Education, Obudu, was founded as a normal college on November 30, 1982, by His Excellency, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Nigeria’s first Executive President.

The College began operations in a makeshift location within the grounds of Government Secondary School, Obudu. However, that first temporary location is now the permanent site, with the College’s projected permanent site at Bebi village in Obanliku Local Government Area, eighteen kilometers along the Obudu-Cattle Ranch Resort route, serving as a satellite campus.

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11. Muftau Lanihun College of Education (MULCOED): It is located at Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria. Today, it is a network of inclusive learning communities. This college of education has nationally recognized faculties for different levels of students such as: undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals.

It has raised teachers, administrators, clinicians, educational research scientists, psychologists etc.

12. Tai Solarin College of Education (TASUED): It was first established in 1978 in Ogun State Nigeria and was later transformed in 2005. Today, it is a special institution because of its standards.

In addition to being the first among others in the country, it also shares a special features as the only college in Nigeria that offers both the Programmes for Bachelor’s degree in education (B.Ed.) and trains the graduates of National Certificate of Education (NCE) within the same academic environment.

Again, in 2005, the statistics of students showed that there were over 12,500 (both (Degree and N.C. E) full time and part-time with a staff strength of over 660 of which 43% of them were teaching staffs in all the 8 Schools in the College. Today, it is among the best in Nigeria.

13. College of Education, Delta State: It was established in 1979 so as to meet the need for qualified teachers in primary and secondary schools.

However, it was initially established by the then government of Bendel State as a college at Ihogbe, Benin city for advanced teachers. Its founding provost at that time (before it was made official) was Dr. H.S.A. Aliyu. Today, it is among the best colleges in the whole country.

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14. College of Education, Akwa Ibom State: It is located at Afaha Nsit, Akwa Ibom State Nigeria. Today, it boosts a high number of student on yearly basis. This college is equally doing well in terms of standards of education.

This is because it produces quality teachers for the primary and secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State.
As at 2024, this college is among the best in the whole country and many students apply for their programme.

15. College of Education, Zuba: It was established in 1996 at Zuba, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and was initially sited at the defunct college for teachers. Most recently, this college has grown and now competes with even the older colleges in the country in terms of academics and other areas as well.

Again, in 2000, this college of education was closed down due to need for restructuring. It was later reopened in 2001 with a more quality and improved standard of academics.

As at 2024, it is popular for its excellent programmes for teacher’s training. It offers programmes or courses in education for undergraduates and postgraduates and has a high standard of academic excellence. Today, it is among the best in Nigeria and students apply for their programmes.

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Conclusion

When Nigeria obtained independence from the United Kingdom in 1960, colleges of education became an aspect of the Nigerian educational system. They were founded with the goal of training teachers to provide the finest instructors to Nigerian children in elementary and secondary schools who are well-rounded in the teaching profession.