The Federal Government has warned Colleges of Education against offering substandard degree programmes under the Dual Mandate policy, insisting that institutions must have qualified lecturers, adequate facilities and functional quality assurance systems before commencing or expanding their programmes.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja during the National Retreat/Workshop on the Effective Implementation of the Dual Mandate and Strategic Plan for Colleges of Education, where the new Dual Mandate Curriculum and the National Commission for Colleges of Education’s Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2031 were unveiled.

“The success of this policy will not be measured by the number of Colleges that commence degree programmes alone,” she said, adding that implementation must be guided by quality, accountability, institutional readiness and strict adherence to regulatory standards.

She said participating institutions must demonstrate adequate academic staffing, appropriate teaching and learning facilities, functional quality assurance systems and sound governance arrangements to deliver degree programmes effectively.

The minister urged college administrators to recognise that the Dual Mandate came with increased responsibilities, warning against treating it merely as an opportunity to expand academic offerings.

The policy allows eligible Colleges of Education to retain their traditional Nigeria Certificate in Education programmes while offering approved bachelor’s degree programmes in education, subject to applicable regulatory requirements. It is intended to broaden access to higher education, strengthen teacher preparation and improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Ahmad said the newly unveiled curriculum would establish minimum academic standards for degree programmes under the policy, providing a framework for programme development, teaching, student assessment and the acquisition of subject knowledge, pedagogical competence and practical teaching skills.

“The quality of the curriculum must ultimately be reflected in the competence, character and professional readiness of the teachers we produce,” she said.

The minister also called on provosts and academic managers to ensure that lecturers received continuous professional development and that institutions had adequate instructional resources, effective teaching supervision and relevant digital technologies.

On the NCCE’s Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2031, Ahmad said the document should guide improvements in regulation, institutional development, quality assurance and innovation across the Colleges of Education system.

“A strategic plan achieves little if it remains on paper. Its success depends on disciplined implementation, adequate coordination, responsible leadership and sustained monitoring,” she said.

Ahmad said the retreat should produce practical implementation strategies, clear institutional responsibilities, realistic timelines and measurable performance indicators.

She called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Ministry of Education, the NCCE, the National Universities Commission and college managements to ensure consistent implementation and prevent unnecessary duplication of regulatory processes.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the NCCE, Dr Angela Ajala, said the retreat was designed to move teacher education from policy formulation to implementation, institutional accountability and measurable results.

Ajala said the approval of the Dual Mandate had created an opportunity to reposition Colleges of Education, strengthen their academic responsibilities and establish new pathways for developing highly skilled teachers.

“The Dual Mandate is not merely permission to introduce additional academic programmes or award more qualifications. It is an invitation to rethink how our Colleges are governed, how our lecturers teach, how our students learn, how our institutions are financed, and how we measure educational quality and institutional performance”, Ajala said.

She said the new curriculum, developed through consultations involving curriculum specialists, academics, professional bodies, regulatory agencies and other stakeholders, covered programmes across 10 schools.

According to her, it incorporates digital competencies, inclusive education, innovative teaching approaches, entrepreneurship and practical skills to prepare graduates for contemporary educational demands.

Ajala, however, warned that the curriculum would not produce the desired transformation without adequately prepared lecturers, modern teaching facilities, effective quality assurance, strong institutional leadership and sustainable funding.

“A curriculum on paper cannot transform a classroom. A strategic plan on a shelf cannot transform an institution. And a policy without implementation cannot transform a nation,” she said.

The NCCE executive secretary said the commission intended to make the retreat an annual platform for reviewing progress, sharing institutional experiences, assessing performance and addressing emerging challenges in teacher education.

She urged participating colleges to assess their capacity, identify institutional gaps and develop realistic implementation plans, adding that the commission would provide regulatory guidance, technical support and institutional coordination.

Ajala also called on provosts, lecturers, development partners, professional bodies, unions and governments at all levels to support the reforms.

“Investment in teacher education is an investment in the quality of every other profession and, ultimately, in the future of Nigeria,” she said.

She said the annual retreat would provide an opportunity to assess whether commitments made by institutions were translating into improved teaching, learning, governance and graduate outcomes.