Federal College of Education, Zaria

ized the cardinal importance of educational development to a nation newly attaining political independence, appointment a commission under the chairmanship of Sir Eric Ashby, master of Clare College, Cambridge, to investigate the needs of Nigeria significantly entitled “Investment in Education”, the government of Nigeria in 1961 presented to the The white paper for saw a possible increase in the enrolment of existing secondary schools and the building of 600 new ones, with an annual intake of pupils rising from 12,000 to 45,000. In order to meet this rapid expansion, four new Advanced Teachers Training Colleges were recommended: One in Lagos and one in each of the three regions; Zaria, Owerri and Ondo. For the colleges to take off, four requests for assistance were made to the then United Nations Special Fund which later became the United Nations Development Programme, special Fund component. Therefore, acting on the recommendation of the Ashby commission, the Government of the former Northern region established a Northern Secondary Teachers “College” in Zaria. The Northern Regional Government through the federal Government, requested the United Nations Special Fund for assistance. The request was granted and a plan of operation was drawn up, which was formally signed in March 1963 by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the United Nations Special fund and UNESCO. Authorization to start operations was given in May 1963, but the College was formally opened on 1st November, 1962 with an initial intake of 150 Students. The project was originally envisaged for a five year duration. Subsequent revisions to the original plan of operation extended this for about three years. The name of the College was later changed to Zaria Teachers’ College.