1.1 THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COLLEGE
The old Western Region government (of Delta state was then part) policy of free education, dating as far back as 1955, had produced a large number of primary school leavers, seeking to proceed to secondary school. However, only a few number of school leavers could make it to the relatively few secondary school then available. In 1979, the
defunct Bendel state (of which Delta State was part) introduced free education, building more secondary schools providing free textbooks. This led to the increase in the demand for qualified teachers. In response to this, the government established a number of Colleges of Education to train more teachers for secondary schools. The College of Education, Warri, was one of such institutions established for such purposes.
1.2 HISTORICAL EVOLUTION. The defunct Bendel state government first established the College as an Advanced Teachers’ College at Ihogbe, Benin City on the 2nd of October 1979. As an Advanced Teachers’ College, the new College operated from the premises of the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) Benin City, with Dr. H.S.A. The institution was officially opened on the 5th of May 1980 by the then Executive Governor of the defunct Bendel State, Chief (Prof) Ambrose Ali. On that day the College was renamed College of Education, Ihogbe, Benin City. On August 1980, the Government directed that the College be moved to Warri, its permanent site base. Consequently, on the 9th of February, the College moved to a temporary site in Warri.
1.3 TEMPORARY SITE
The college started at a temporary site, sharing the same boundary with Hussey College Warri. The temporary site housed the Administrative blocks, classrooms, laboratories, lecturers’ the Library, Health Centre, Maintenance Workshops and students common room as well as Senior Staff Canteen and all other associated programmes such as primary NCE (Sandwich)/Extra-Mural programme, Weekend NCE programme and the Consultancy Unit.
1.4 PERMANENT SITE
The permanent site is located along Airport Road, Warri. The site, formerly used as barracks for the Nigerian Army, stretches from Ugboroke to the Nigerian National Petroleum company staff Housing Complex, Ekpan, covering approximately 27 hectares. But unfortunately, a part of this land was taken over by the Delta State Government for the establishment of a water project. However, the remaining land is enough to accommodate all the College structures.
1.5 MOVEMENT TO THE PERMANENT SITE
On the eve of the re-accreditation visitation by the N.C.C.E in 1996, the Academic Board, reviewing the problem of accommodation, decided that some schools move to the permanent site. The first phase was initiated on the 16th of September 1996, under the provost ship of Prof. C. Unomah affecting the schools of Arts and Social Sciences, Education and Languages. Since that period, developments have been going on in the permanent site. Prof. Igho Andy Joe carried out the second and final phase of the movement, barely six months into his tenure as Provost. This movement included the schools of Sciences, Health Centre, the Weekend NCE Primary Sandwich and Extra-Mural studies and Consultancy Units in 2003. Presently the college has fully moved to its permanent site, brining to rest the dual campus structure and its associated problems. The site also houses the College DEMONSTRATION Secondary School. Plans are on to make more infrastructures available for teaching and learning.