THE National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has been admonished to be more pro-active in the regulation of activities of the numerous colleges of education scattered all over the country, to check the declining level of teacher ' education in the country could be immediately salvaged.Particularly the NCCE was urged to borrow a leaf from its sister regulatory body, the National Universities Commission (NUC) by taking a decisive step against illegal and mushroom colleges of education existing unhindered in some cities and towns across the country.This call was made by the former Dean, School of Vocational Education, Federal College of Education, Akoka, Yaba Lagos, Dr. Ademola Azeez, an interview with The Guardian at the weekend in Lagos.Dr. Azeez while bemoaning the standard of education at all levels in the country noted that there was no how the standard of education could be improved without improving it from the primary and secondary school levels which colleges of education are the main feeder.Dr. Azeez referred to efforts made by the National Universities Commission in publishing in national newspapers, universities accredited and approved by it and those they operate without approval.He said his colleagues, especially members of the academic staff were also beginning to be uncomfortable with the unchecked increase in the rate of mushroom colleges of education. He added that already his colleagues under the auspices of Colleges of Education Academic Union, had on its own set up a committee to look into this development.The former dean faulted what eh called the worrisome recruitment particularly of academic staff, into colleges of educations in the country.His words: 'The NCCE should be interested in the qualities of lecturers employed in the college of education system. It should find out and monitor their entry qualifications. The issue is that, is it proper for someone who had third Class degree from the university or pass from the polytechnic to be employed as a lecturer in the college of education system' Worse still without a postgraduate diploma in his area of specialisation.'The don urged NCCE to monitor closely recruitment exercises in these colleges to ensure that laid down guidelines were strictly following, noting that councils of the various colleges could hardly do anything as it was whatever the various colleges management teams, presented to them that would ratify without alterations or modifications.He urged thence to be more opened to members of staff of the various colleges and to always carry them along in all matters affecting the institutions. He lamented that due to the wide gap that often exist between members of staff represented by the unions and the agency, it sometimes take as much as months to clarify issues or memo originating from the agency or to get response from it whenever unions sent letters to it.For proper accountability, he urged the agency to periodically publish allocations to the colleges as done by NUC for universities. H further advised NCCE to establish a desk in each college as a way of bringing its service closer to the people and as a way of bridging the gap.
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