The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) says it has sealed and counter-signed 64, 432 Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) certificates in one year.
NCCE’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Monday Joshua, made this known on Friday in Abuja at the formal presentation of Certificates of Accreditation to 11 colleges of education (CoEs).
The CoEs are Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu, Kebbi State, Kogi State College (Technical), Kabba, Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu, and Al-Ibadan College of Education, Ibadan.
Others are Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, Anambra State, College of Education, Akwanga, Nasarawa State, Federal College of Education, Kastina and Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, Enugu State.
Also on the list are Ipere College of Education, Agyaragu, Nasarawa, and Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-Ma, Kastina State.
He said that the exercise was a landmark achievement as NCCE had not carried out accreditation of institutions for over a decade.
Joshua said that one of the main problems he inherited on assumption of office, was the backlog of unissued NCE certificates to graduands by CoEs.
“One of the issues emphasised at consultative meetings with the all provosts was to take it as a priority to clear the backlog of certificates till date.
“From June 2015 till date, a total of 64, 432 NCE certificates have been sealed and counter-signed by our commission on behalf of colleges.
“Many colleges have also booked for the printing of certificates to clear the backlog.
“Between May 2015 and May 2016, NCCE has printed on behalf of colleges, a total of 135, 730 blank certificates from the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, to clear the backlog.’’
He said that CoEs had been reminded that their statutory role was not only to admit students and teach them, but to graduate them to face other businesses in the world.
The executive secretary said that based on the report of the accreditation panel, NCCE had to close down a college, having denied it accreditation of all its programmes.
Responding on behalf of the institutions, Dr Awo Komolafe of Kogi State College of Education (Technical), commended NCCE for the feat.
He said it was the first time in the history of NCCE that accreditation results were released promptly and certificates issued to deserving CoEs.