Department Overview
The Colleges of Education (COE) Department is one of the professional departments within the Federal Ministry of Education, established in July 2021 following the unbundling of the former Tertiary Education Department. The reform, approved by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, was designed to improve administrative efficiency and sharpen the Ministry’s focus on teacher education.
The Department oversees all Federal, State and Private Colleges of Education across Nigeria, operating through divisions organised along the country’s six geopolitical zones. Its mandate centres on shaping national policy for Teacher Education, strengthening the institutions that train Nigeria’s teachers, and ensuring the Colleges of Education sub-sector operates with consistency, accountability and quality across the federation.
Our Vision
To make Colleges of Education centres of excellence in teaching, learning and research, in order to promote the production of top-class teachers who are highly motivated and fully prepared for teaching at the basic education level.
Our Mission
To ensure the production of well-motivated, proficient teachers of world-class quality in a conducive learning environment, with high personal and professional discipline, integrity and competence, for an expanding basic education sector.
Mandate
- Policy design and implementation relating to Teacher Education in Nigeria
- Promoting Teacher Education in Nigeria
- Processing memoranda from Colleges of Education and parastatals or agencies
- Provision of information on Teacher Education, documentation and dissemination
- Provision of advisory services to State and Private Colleges of Education on Teacher Education
- Collating and processing reports of Governing Councils in the Federal Colleges of Education and advising the Ministry accordingly
- Coordinating Visitation Panels to Federal Colleges of Education every five years, in accordance with the Federal Colleges of Education (Amendment) Act 2023
- Dispute resolution in the Federal Colleges of Education
- Liaising with critical stakeholders to ensure industrial harmony in the Colleges of Education sub-sector
- Monitoring the implementation of the recommendations of Government White Papers on the Federal Colleges of Education
- Organising retreats for Ministry representatives in the Governing Councils of Federal Colleges of Education
- Development of the National Teacher Policy, its guidelines, and monitoring of its implementation
Core Functions
Guided by the values of Excellence, Integrity, Professionalism, Innovation, Inclusivity, Accountability and Collaboration, the Department’s core functions include:
- Coordinating and supervising policy design, implementation and monitoring on Teacher Education in Nigeria
- Coordinating the establishment of new Colleges of Education, or the takeover of existing State Colleges of Education, in collaboration with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE)
- Overseeing parastatals in the Colleges of Education sub-sector, including NCCE, JAMB, TETFund, NTI, NINLAN, NALV and NFLV
- Performing the Visitor’s statutory role in Federal Colleges of Education as directed by the Honourable Minister of Education
- Organising and coordinating Visitation Panels to Federal Colleges of Education every five years, and processing the resulting reports
- Monitoring the implementation of Government White Papers arising from Visitation Panel reports
- Appointing and supervising the Ministry’s representatives on the Governing Councils of Federal Colleges of Education, including inaugurations, retreats and capacity building
- Collating and processing reports from the Governing Councils of Federal Colleges of Education
- Overseeing implementation of policies, extant laws and government circulars across Federal Colleges of Education
- Handling Federal Government negotiations, agreements and Memoranda of Understanding with labour unions in the Colleges of Education sub-sector
- Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education in Colleges of Education through competitions, exhibitions and processing of patent rights for student innovations
- Providing advisory and appellate services to State and Private Colleges of Education
- Maintaining a national data and information base of all Colleges of Education
- Coordinating the secretariat for Needs Assessment Projects and other special interventions in Public Colleges of Education
- Coordinating policies and programmes on skills development for the employability of Teacher Education graduates
- Serving as secretariat for the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE) / National Council on Education (NCE) committees on Teacher Education
Leadership
DIRECTOR
Dr. Uchenna Cecilia Uba, Ph.D.
Mrs Uchenna Cecilia Uba handles the administrative governance, institutional development, and teacher education policy frameworks for Nigeria’s Colleges of Education. She works closely with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to merge rigorous academic training with practical entrepreneurship and professional skills, repositioning the sub-sector to produce highly innovative and self-reliant educators.
Her structural oversight guides critical institutional updates, entry requirements, and foundational funding strategies to expand access for indigent students. By driving essential capacity-building programs, teacher mentorship tracks, and academic progression models, her leadership directly strengthens institutional performance, protects public confidence in teacher training, and ensures that educators are fully equipped to drive national development goals.
Organizational Structure
Divisions: Federal Colleges of Education
Branches:
- North Central branch
- North East branch
- North West branch
- South-East branch
- South-South branch
- South west branch
Key Functions:
- Synergizes with the Federal Colleges of Education on the activities of the institution to ensure compliance with extant rules & Government policies.
- Process report of Governing Council meetings from the various FME Reps for the Visitor’s attention and necessary action.
- Dealing with policy issues concerning Federal Colleges of Education & parastatals.
- Treat memorandum forwarded to the Division by the Director.
Divisions: State and Private Colleges of Education
Branches:
- North-East/South-East/South-South branch
- North-West/South-East/North-Central branch
Key Functions:
- Provide advisory & supervisory services to State and Private Colleges of Education.
- Treat memorandum forwarded to the Ministry by State & Private Colleges of Education.
Divisions: Institutional Supports and Partnerships
Branches:
- Staff Support and labour relations branch
- Student Support Services
- Partnership/Documentation and Resource Materials
Key Functions:
- Mediation in various agitations between the staff unions and the managements in COE across the country.
- Engaging the staff and student unions to ensure industrial harmony in COE subsector.
- Providing the Secretariat in the re-negotiation of the 2009/2010 FGN/Staff Unions agreement in COE.
Divisions: Teacher Education and Development
Branches:
Key Functions:
- Drafting of policies relating to Teacher Education in Nigeria.
- Responding to correspondences relating to Teacher Education.
- Promotion of Teacher Education in Nigeria; and
- Monitoring the implementation of Government policies on Teacher Education and Development
Key Services
- Development and implementation of Teacher Education policies
- Oversight and coordination of Federal, State and Private Colleges of Education
- Quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation of Teacher Education programmes
- Advisory and technical support services to Colleges of Education and stakeholders
- Coordination of institutional governance, visitation panels and Governing Council activities
- Management and monitoring of government intervention and revitalization projects
- Promotion of teacher professional development, research, innovation and entrepreneurship
- Facilitation of stakeholder engagement, partnerships and industrial harmony
- Development and implementation of the National Teacher Policy
- Information management, documentation and dissemination on teacher education
Key Programmes / Projects
- E-CHIPS Initiative. A technology based innovation, skills development exhibition and competition designed to encourage creativity and skills development in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences among teacher trainees in Colleges of Education in Nigeria. 2023 and 2024 editions delivered.
- Dual Mandate Reform. Repositioning Colleges of Education to deliver on their expanded roles in teacher education and technical training.
- Needs Assessment Revitalisation Projects. Implementation of revitalisation projects in public Colleges of Education across Nigeria.
- National Quarterly Stakeholders’ Breakfast Meetings. An engagement platform to avert strikes and address emerging issues in the sub-sector.
- National Teacher Policy Review.
Achievements
- Introduction of the E-CHIPS initiative across its 2023 and 2024 editions
- Implementation of the Dual Mandate Reform, repositioning Colleges of Education to deliver on expanded roles in teacher education and technical training
- Facilitated payment of the Needs Assessment Fund for the implementation of revitalisation projects in public Colleges of Education across Nigeria, bridging infrastructural and institutional gaps
- Established National Quarterly Stakeholders’ Breakfast Meetings as a proactive engagement platform to avert strikes and resolve challenges confronting Colleges of Education
- Strengthened national and international partnerships, securing collaboration and support from stakeholders including IICBA-UNESCO and the British Council
- Coordinated a comprehensive review of the National Teacher Policy to align teacher education and development in Nigeria with international best practice
- Championed the realignment of the mandates of the National Commission for Colleges of Education, the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria and the National Teachers’ Institute, to eliminate operational overlaps and strengthen accountability
Images & Media
Contact Information
Main Office: College of Education Department, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Secretariat, Shehu Shagari Way Abuja, Nigeria P.M.B 146, Garki
- Email: coeseducation1234@yahoo.com
- E-CHIPS Programme: www.fmecoeechips.com