THE ACADEMIC QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The role of the teachers is very essential in nation building. Colleges of Education provide a nation with professional teachers who are equipped with methodology and skills of teaching in pre-primary/Nursing, Primary and Junior Secondary levels of education in Nigeria. Essential, college of education are expected to provide full time courses in teaching, instruction and training and to conduct courses in education for qualified teachers. In order to achieve the objectives in colleges of education, quality assurance is required/needed. This paper examines academic quality assurance, reasons for establishment of colleges of education, concept of quality control and assurance; differences between quality assurance and quality control; roles and purpose of quality assurance in Colleges of Education in Nigeria, it equally lists some challenges of quality assurance in Colleges of Education. Likewise, the paper highlights some measures to facilitate quality assurance in colleges of education in Nigeria. The paper therefore recommends, among others, that government should improve allocation of fund to Colleges of Education, regular review and redesign the curriculum as environment changes with modern technologies and the welfare of the lecturer and non-teaching staff should be properly taken care of, with effective monitoring and adequate evaluation of all the units within the certification of colleges of education graduates in Nigeria.