17/09/2026
17th September, 2026.
*Gombe Deputy Governor Seeks Education Rebirth in North-East, Backs Skills-Based Teacher Training Reforms*
…As NCCE Executive Secretary, North-East College Provosts Seek Stronger Government Support for Dual Mandate, Skills Development
The Gombe State Deputy Governor, Manassah Daniel Jatau Ph.D,has called for a comprehensive rebirth of education in the North-East, stressing the need for workable reforms that would reposition education from a pathway primarily associated with employment to a foundation for knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
Dr. Jatau made the call when the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr. Angela Ajala, led the Provosts of Colleges of Education across the North-East geopolitical zone on a courtesy visit to the Gombe State Government.
The delegation, hosted by the Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe, Dr. Muhammad Ghazali Abdul Hamid, comprised heads of federal, state and private Colleges of Education from Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa and Yobe States.
The Deputy Governor said the North-East must urgently rethink its approach to education, observing that the region was experiencing growth without commensurate development because of gaps in the quality and application of knowledge.
He noted that the increasing difficulty faced by graduates in securing formal employment had contributed to declining enthusiasm for education among some communities, stressing that education must be presented as a tool for improving whatever legitimate profession or vocation an individual chooses.
According to him, an educated farmer, artisan, trader or professional should be able to apply knowledge and innovation to perform better and create greater value.
Dr. Jatau therefore welcomed the NCCE's reforms aimed at integrating skills acquisition into teacher education, saying such an approach would help produce graduates who are not only academically qualified but also practically equipped to contribute meaningfully to society.
He said teachers must also develop a stronger sense of pride in their profession, stressing that the status accorded to teaching would depend on how teachers themselves perceive and project the profession.
The Deputy Governor further called for stronger collaboration among the Federal and state governments, Colleges of Education, communities and all relevant agencies to address the challenges confronting education in the region.
He also urged stakeholders to intensify efforts against drug abuse among young people, warning that the gains of educational reforms could be undermined if youths were exposed to substance abuse.
Earlier, the NCCE Executive Secretary, Dr. Angela Ajala, said teacher education remained central to national development because teachers shape the quality of every other profession and, ultimately, the society.
Dr. Ajala explained that the NCCE was implementing significant reforms in teacher education, particularly the Dual Mandate, which gives Colleges of Education the opportunity to offer both the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes.
She disclosed that under the emerging five-year structure, students would have the opportunity to acquire an NCE, a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) and a globally recognised skills certification, describing the initiative as a major step towards producing professionally prepared, ethically grounded and economically resilient teachers.
She called on state governments to consider domesticating the Dual Mandate policy through their respective Houses of Assembly, noting that such domestication would enable state and private Colleges of Education to fully participate in the reform.
The NCCE Executive Secretary also disclosed that every College of Education is expected to establish a skills centre that would not only serve students of the institutions, but also provide opportunities for young people within their communities to acquire globally benchmark vocational skills.
She explained that the skills certification system would operate at different levels, allowing beneficiaries to progressively develop competencies that could be applied locally and internationally.
Dr. Ajala appealed to governments and other stakeholders to increase investment and interventions in Colleges of Education, stressing that the institutions could not single-handedly address the challenges confronting teacher education.
She advocated stronger partnerships involving government, industry, development partners, regulatory agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of Colleges of Education across the North-East.
In recognition of his administration's contribution to education , the NCCE presented an Award to the Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
Similarly, the state government also presented a copy,each of the Gombe State 10 Year Development Plan (DEVACOM) and the Gombe State Government Scorecard to the Executive Secretary to provide the NCCE leadership with an overview of the state's development priorities and achievements.
The engagement underscored a shared commitment to repositioning Colleges of Education as institutions capable of producing competent teachers, skilled professionals and graduates equipped to contribute to the socio-economic transformation of the North-East.
The meeting brought in attendance,the Secretary to the State Government Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, Hon. Commissioner of Education Professor Aishatu Umar Maigari among other Commissioners, and other Senior government officials, Education Administrators, Provosts of Colleges of Education across the North-East, members of the academic community and the media.
Jack A.Tasha, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity,
(Deputy Governor's Office)
