-
Ikiodiete George
- 1 Min Read
Top 10 Oldest Colleges Of Education In Nigeria And Their Founding Years + Locations
Colleges of Education have been central to Nigeria’s journey in preserving and advancing education. These institutions emerged early in the post-independence era to train dedicated primary and secondary school teachers. Below are the ten oldest, demonstrating their long-standing impact.
Oldest Colleges of Education in Nigeria
|
Rank |
College |
Location (State) |
Year Founded |
|
1 |
Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education |
Lagos |
1958 |
|
2 |
Federal College of Education, Kontagora |
Niger |
1958 |
|
3 |
Federal College of Education, Zaria |
Kaduna |
1962 |
|
4 |
Alvan Ikoku College of Education |
Imo |
1963 |
|
5 |
Adeyemi College of Education |
Ondo |
1964 |
|
6 |
Federal College of Education, Kano |
Kano |
1965 |
|
7 |
Shehu Shagari College of Education |
Sokoto |
1970 |
|
8 |
Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin |
Kwara |
1974 |
|
9 |
Niger State College of Education, Minna |
Niger |
1975 |
|
10 |
Federal College of Education, Oyo (Special) |
Oyo |
1977 |
Highlights of Notable Colleges
- Adeniran Ogunsanya (Lagos, 1958) and Kontagora (Niger, 1958): Pioneers in teacher education under early regional governments.
- FCE Zaria (Kaduna, 1962): Aligned with Ahmadu Bello University; trained educators for the Northern Region.
- Alvan Ikoku (Imo, 1963): One of the earliest in Southeast, known for upgrading to university status.
- Adeyemi (Ondo, 1964): Founded by regional government to improve teaching quality in the Southwest.
- FCE Kano (1965): Formerly Kano Men’s Training College, became Federal College in 1965.
- Shehu Shagari (Sokoto, 1970): First state-owned advanced teachers’ college in the North.
- Kwara COE (Ilorin, 1974): Built to support teacher training in central Nigeria.
- Niger State COE (Minna, 1975): Created to boost education workforce in the state.
- FCE Oyo (Special, 1977): Established to focus on special needs education.
Why These Colleges Matter
- Foundational Teacher Training: They supplied qualified teachers across Nigeria during early independence.
- Regional Reach: Spread across all geopolitical zones for balanced educational development.
- Academic Excellence: Many retain top rankings in teacher education today.
- Catalysts for Growth: Some have evolved into degree-awarding universities of education.
Final Thoughts
These ten institutions represent Nigeria’s earliest efforts to cultivate skilled educators. Their legacy continues in classrooms across the nation, and some are transforming into full-fledged universities. They remain pillars of quality teacher education.
