The Bauchi state government has closed down 39 private colleges of education that were operating without proper registration.
The Commissioner for Higher Education, Mrs. Lydia Tsammani, announced the closure at a news conference in Bauchi on Thursday.
She said these colleges did not have approval from the National Commission for Colleges of Education and lacked the necessary infrastructure.
Tsammani explained, “A total of 39 colleges were found to be without anything. They are operating in primary schools, and when the school closes, then the NCE programmes start with even primary and secondary school teachers as their teachers.”
She added, “They even borrowed teachers because they don’t have anything to make them stand as a college.”
The government had previously given notice to these unregistered colleges, allowing them six months to complete their registration or face sanctions. Tsammani noted that 12 colleges with NCCE approval will be allowed to continue operating if they meet certain conditions.
“They must ensure that they admit only qualified candidates because it was discovered that some of them are just interested in the school fees,” Tsammani said. “They must also ensure continuous upgrades of school facilities and equipment. Some of them are still using analogue typewriters in their offices in this digital era.”
The Ministry of Higher Education has emphasized that proper registration and qualified staff are essential for the operation of educational institutions.
