NCCE Harps On UBE-Relevant Teachers

The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) is set to produce teachers relevant to the needs of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme, its Executive Secretary, Prof. Mohammed Junaid, has said.

Junaid explained last Thursday in Zaria, Kaduna State, at the ongoing four-day enlarged critique workshop organised by the commission that necessary machinery had been put in motion for the accomplishment of its mission.

He also said the commis-sion planned to address the basic teacher needs in the basic education sector through a restructured minimum standard for the National Certificate of Education (NCE).

“A restructured minimum standard for the NCE will address the basic teacher needs so that any teacher training college will be able to produce teachers that are relevant to UBE needs,” he said. 

“We want to produce teachers who can deliver the basic education curriculum more effectively.

  “The restructuring followed mounting criticisms over the quality  of NCE holders. We need to look closely into the teacher education curriculum and see what can be done to improve the quality of teachers.’’

The executive secretary further said that the commission had intensified efforts toward drafting a curriculum that would cover five areas of the UBE programme.

He listed the areas as Primary Education, Early Childhood Care Education, Junior Secondary School Education, Adult and Non-formal Education as well as Special Needs Education. 

  Junaid said the essence of the workshop was to ensure that the new curriculum for basic education in the fourth edition of NCE minimum standards was put to use by all NCE awarding institutions. 

  The workshop, he added, would work toward developing the  framework for a new college structure and restructuring quality assurance instruments for programmes and institution accreditation for new programmes.

In an interview with our correspondent, Dr Jerry Agada, the Governing Board Chairman of the NCCE, gave the assurance that the draft curriculum would be made in such a way that it would allow for continuity in the system.

He appealed to the participants to make effective use of the opportunity to impact positively on the development of education in Nigeria.