The Niger State of College of Education was established as an Advanced Teachers’ College by the defunct North Western State government when there was need to establish an additional Advanced Teachers’ College in order to meet the soaring teachers’ needs in the state.

In 1975, the first batch of students admitted into the college reported in November, 1975 (for 1975/76 session). 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 NSLN Number 3. With this development, the status and nomenclature of the principal of the college was changed to Provost” and the Administrative Secretary to the Registrar.

By the 1979/80 Academic session many more departments had been established, therefore for effective and easy co-ordination, the college authority deemed it necessary to decentralize academic management into four, schools or divisions. The activities of the four schools were co-ordinated by the Divisional Head. The chain of structural responsibility started from the student, through the staff and academic department.

The following subject combinations were available at NCE level in School of Arts and Social Sciences.

  1. History/Geography
  2. History/CRS
  3. History/ISS
  4. History/Eng
  5. History/History
  6. Fine Arts (double major)
  7. Social Studies/English

The Departments were later grouped into Academic divisions with Divisional Head. There were four (4) divisions in 1982; and by 1983, Vocational and Technical Education were added as the fifth division. The sixth division that came up was the preliminary science which was not run at the NCE programme.

As a result of the upgrade of the College status to a degree awarding institution, there was a change in nomenclature at the beginning of the 1984/85 academic session from Divisional Heads to the status of Deans and Directors.

The following were the available divisions:

  1. Division of Sciences: It was made up of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics departments.
  2. Arts and Social Sciences Division: This division Incorporated history, geography, social studies, fine arts, Islamic studies and Christian religious studies dept.
  3. Language Division: It was made up of English, Hausa, – French and Arabic departments.
  4. Education Division: It comprised, of Primary Education Studies and Business Education Departments.

In addition, during the 1982/83 academic session, the Technical and Vocational Education division was created in anticipation of the 6-3-3-4 education system. This comprised of Business

Education, Home Economics and Agricultural Sciences departments. The Physical and Health Education department was placed under Education Division.

By 1985, the (5) five division (new schools) and their compositions as mentioned above remain the same. The change in the nomenclature from divisions to schools came into being when the National Commission for College of Education (NCCE) formally created the schools

Since the creation of School of Art and Social Sciences, fourteen (14) Deans have occupied this prestigious office to date, as indicated below

Deans of School of Arts and Social Sciences

  1. Sheikh Ahmad Abdullahi 1798 – 1980
  2. Jimoh Agoola 1981 – 1983
  3. Nuhu Galadima 1984 – 1990
  4. George E. Uwaiya 1991 – 1994
  5. Jonah Ndayagi Yisa 1995 – 1998
  6. Godwin Ahituabe 1998 – 2002
  7. Diamond Ogidi 2002 – 2004
  8. Malam Abdulrazaq Olarinde 2004 – 2006
  9. Malam Yahaya Suleiman 2006 – 2010
  10. Malam Salahu M. Lawal 2010 – 2010
  11. Elder Jonah Ndayagi Yisa 2010 – 2012
  12. Malam Yahaya Suleiman 2012 – 2016
  13. (Mrs) Hannatu K. Ali 2016 – 2017
  14. Sakoma Joash Kaura 2017 – 2018
  15. Abubakar Kawu Hassan 2018 – Date

Man, his complex nature and the increasingly more complex society in which the lives, and his relationship with the metaphysical world (expressed in myths and religions) have been interesting subjects for investigation by scholars. Using various instruments (qualitative and quantitative , or a combination of both), the Arts and Social Sciences disciplines have sought to answer the basic questions concerning man, his society and his relationship with the metaphysical world. The NCE Arts and Social Sciences programmes seek to draw the teacher and his student into a mutual dialogue about their collective realities.

  1. To be able to expose schools to the history and philosophy of education so as To produce highly motivated, conscientious and effective classroom teachers as repaired by national policy on education.
  2. To stimulate and appreciate the world in which the student find himself with particular reference to challenges of developing nations like Nigeria in Socio-political, economic and cyclical field.
  3. To [rain well qualified non-graduate (NCE) teachers grade two who will teach in pre-primary, primary and junior secondary school levels as the curriculum dictates.
  4. To give orientation to graduates of teachers’ grade two holders and even those that attended secondary schools those lack the background in teaching methodology.
  5. To train specialists that will be able to manage the syllabuses in different subject areas at the lower /basic levels of education.
  6. To provide qualitative professional teachers that will impact positive knowledge, skills and attitudes on pupils/students to become effective individuals for the growth and development of the society.
  7. To provide and produce qualified Nigeria certificate in Education (NCE) teachers who would enter in the two year degree programme atthe universities.
  1. Christian Religious Studies
  2. Economics
  3. Geography
  4. History
  5. Islamic Studies
  6. Social Studies

Subject Combinations

  1. CHRISTIAN RELIGION STUDIES/HISTORY
  2. CHRISTIAN RELIGION STUDIES/SOCIAL STUDIES
  3. CHRISTIAN RELIGION STUDIES/SPECIAL EDUCATION
  4. ECONOMICS/HISTORY
  5. ECONOMICS/GEOGRAPHY
  6. ECONOMICS/SOCIAL STUDIES
  7. ECONOMICS/SPECIAL EDUCATION
  8. GEOGRAPHY/HISTORY
  9. GEOGRAPHY/SOCIAL STUDIES
  10. GEOGRAPHY/SPECIAL EDUCATION
  11. HISTORY/ SPECIAL EDUCATION
  12. ISLAMIC STUDIES/HISTORY
  13. ISLAMIC STUDIES/SOCIAL STUDIES
  14. ISLAMIC STUDIES/SPECIAL EDUCATION
  15. SOCIAL STUDIES/HISTORY
  16. SOCIAL STUDIES/SPECIAL EDUCATION