Lagos may upgrade colleges of education to varsities

THERE are speculations that the Lagos State government may upgrade the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) to a “University of Education” any moment from now, as the college prepares for its combined 36th, 37th and 38th joint convocations next week Tuesday.

This will also apply to its sister institution, Micheal Otedoa College of Primary Education (MOCPED), Noforija Epe, which the government also plans to rename “Micheal Otedola Open Distant Learning University”.

The paperwork to transform both institutions to universities has already been fine-tuned, remaining only for the Bill to be taken to the Lagos State House of Assembly for further deliberation.

Workers in both institutions, especially those in AOCOED, have been agitating over the last decade that the state government should upgrade them.

But the government has maintained silence on the matter, though admitting that the plans have reached an advanced stage.

In April 2013, the Federal Government announced plans to scrap colleges of education, thereby abolishing NCE, which, according to the National Policy on Education, is the basic requirement for teaching in primary and junior secondary schools.

The Lagos State government, which is the owner of both AOCOED and MOCPED, latched onto the initiative two years ago. The idea, according to the government, is to upgrade both colleges to boost enrolment and create a space for students desirous of a degree in education.