The Niger State College of Education, Minna was established as an Advanced Teachers’ College by the defunct North Western State Government in 1st November, 1975 when there was need to establish an additional Advanced Teachers’ College in order to meet the soaring teachers needs in the State. In 1983, the College was upgraded to the status of College of Education by the defunct Civilian Government in the Second Republic through the Niger State Edict N.S.L.N Number 3 of 1983. With the College’s new status, the nomenclature of the Principal of the College was changed to the Provost and that of the Administrative Secretary to the Registrar. The Edit was amended under Niger State Edict No. 1 of 1988, and further amended by Niger State Law No. 21 of 2011.
The College took off in its temporary site in Bosso – Minna in November, 1975 with a foundation Teaching Staff of nine (9), a total intake of one hundred (100) Students, and sixteen (16) Administrative Staff. Late Dr. Umaru Sanda Ahmadu was the first Principal and Provost of the College. Dr. Gambo T. Yusuf became the second Provost in 1988, Dr. Bukar Emmanuel Naroka Dauda in 1993, Professor Ibrahim Adamu Kolo in 2001, Professor, Faruk Rashid Haruna in 2009 and Professor Muhammad Yakubu Auna succeeded him in 2017 to date.
Alhaji Muhammad Giwa was the first Administrative Secretary and Registrar of the College. Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed Lawal succeeded him in August, 1993 followed by Alhaji Yusuf Muhammad Makusidi in 2007, Alhaji Abdullahi Dalhatu Umar in 2009, and the current Registrar Mall. Yabagi Alfa came into office in 2017.
The College offers several courses leading to the award of Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE). Other courses run by the College are Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) and Undergraduate programmes in affiliation with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.
Objectives /Mandate of the College
The objectives of the College as stated in the Law establishing the College are as follows:
- Provide full-time courses in teaching, instruction, research and training in all fields of learning relevant to the needs of the State for purpose of producing qualified NCE Teachers for the Basic Education level, for higher training in Education and for research to improve teaching and learning.
- To produce highly qualified, motivated, conscientious and efficient NCE teachers for Basic Education Schools.
- To provide Pre-NCE courses in Science and Technical subjects.
- To conduct in-service courses in Education for serving teachers.
- To arrange/organize conferences, seminars and workshops for training and retraining of NCE teachers in all aspects of Teaching and Education in general.
- To perform such other functions that may promote the objectives of the College.