FG shuts down 22 illegal colleges of education nationwide

The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to combat illegal tertiary institutions by closing 22 unaccredited Colleges of Education across Nigeria.

The move, executed by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), is part of an ongoing initiative to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s education sector.

Authorities have expressed concern over the proliferation of fake institutions, often referred to as “certificate mills,” which undermine the credibility of legitimate academic qualifications.

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According to a report of the commission’s recent achievements obtained by this newspaper, the NCCE revealed that it had identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating without approval or accreditation.

The commission added that it had also carried out a comprehensive personnel audit and financial monitoring exercise across all 21 federal Colleges of Education in the country.

This development comes barely weeks after President Bola Tinubu ordered regulatory agencies in the education sector to clamp down on fake tertiary institutions nationwide.

Speaking at the 14th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, Tinubu had directed the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the NCCE to move decisively against unaccredited schools that exploit unsuspecting students.

Represented at the event by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, President Tinubu declared that the federal government would no longer tolerate institutions operating outside established laws and standards.

“The integrity of Nigeria’s education system must not be compromised,” the President said.

“This administration remains committed to strengthening the synergy among all agencies involved in education administration to enhance efficiency and quality.”

He further stressed that the government was working to integrate regulatory bodies like the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and other education oversight agencies into a coordinated framework to eliminate cases of forgery, fake degrees, and unrecognised institutions, whether within or outside Nigeria.

Education stakeholders have long expressed concerns about the proliferation of illegal tertiary institutions, which often lure students with promises of cheap fees and quick certificates, only for graduates to later discover that their qualifications are not recognised by employers or government agencies.

With the latest crackdown, the Federal Government has sent a strong signal that it is determined to sanitize the education sector, protect students from exploitation, and restore global confidence in Nigerian certificates.