COEs To Focus On LCA

It is now mandatory for all the 96 Colleges of Education in the country to shift emphasis from teaching to learning, using Lerner Centred Approach (LCA).

This is a result of the decision of the National Commission For Colleges of Education (NCCE) to restructure its academic programme to fall in line with what is obtainable in other countries of the world.

The introduction of the new approach, which is already in practice in the African Thinkers Community of Enquiries College of Education, Enugu, is to make students of colleges of education in the country more skillful than was the case in the past.

Disclosing this in a chat with newsmen in Enugu recently, shortly after the impact assessment tour of the African Thinkers Community of Enquiries College of Education, Enugu, by officials of NCCE, the Chief Programme Officer of the establishment, Chief Ajao Tajudeen Ayoade, said the introduction of the programme is to shift emphasis from Lecturers to Students in other to make them better skillful students of Colleges of Education across the country.

According to him, Education Trust Fund (ETF), in 2008 made available to the commission some amount of money to enable it train a number of College of Education lecturers, adding that in that same year, the commission conducted the training programme.

“In  2009 and this year 2010, the commission requested for more funds to enable it increase the number of beneficiaries” Ayoade continued, revealing that from that time till date, the commission has so far trained over 600 lecturers drawn from four Colleges of Education in each of the six geo-political zones of the country.

The chief programme officer further revealed that already the commission has invited provosts in all the 96 Colleges of Education in the country for a meeting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory with a view to briefing them on the restructuring now taking place in the commission, “so that the public will know what we are doing with regards to the restructuring”.

He stated that “we are working in collaboration with some international development partners, such as a United Kingdom Organisation, Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN).

They are assisting us in the reform programme”, he explained.

Assessing the performance of the Enugu-based College of Education, Chief Ayoade described their performance  as above average.

“You know this college championed learner centre teaching out of the 96 Colleges of Education in Nigeria. It is the only one using learner centred approach in teaching.

“From the year 2011 to 2013, all the remaining 95 colleges of education in Nigeria must emulate them by using learner centred approach in teaching”.

In a brief speech, the President and founder of the institution, Rev. Fr. Professor Stan Ani, expressed gratitude to God that some people are beginning to find some meaning in what they are trying to do in the college.

“I learnt it from some people in the world. I accepted the value of teaching and thinking the school system. I tried to teach myself how to think. With that experience of teaching myself how to think, I believe it is helping me. I have convinced myself that it will help others if they learnt how to think”, he further stressed.