Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr Angela Ajala, has called for urgent collaboration and deliberate reform to reposition Colleges of Education (CoE) as engines of national transformation, warning that getting teacher education wrong risks getting it wrong for the entire country.

Ajala made the remarks during her visit to the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, where she was received by the provost, management staff, union leaders, and students. She expressed concern about the perception of teacher education in Nigeria, describing it as unfortunate.

“It sometimes appears as though those who cannot pursue other paths are directed into teaching, even from the point of admission. This perception is troubling, especially when we consider that teaching is the profession that produces every other profession and shapes the generations that will move this country forward.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has identified Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCDE) as a critical solution to Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children crisis and called on governments at all levels to prioritise adequate investment in the sector to guarantee quality education outcomes.

The position was presented by an Education Consultant on Foundation, Learning and Skills Development at UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, Mrs Aisha Abdullahi, during a media dialogue focused on practical strategies to address the alarming number of out-of-school children, particularly in the Northwest region of the country.

Abdullahi disclosed that Nigeria currently has about 18.3 million out-of-school children, the highest globally.
She said Jigawa, Kano and Katsina states alone account for nearly 30 per cent of that figure, with poverty, cultural barriers, and insecurity cited as the major drivers keeping children out of classrooms.

The Tanzanian government has directed universities to consult with relevant authorities before introducing new academic programmes to ensure proper employment frameworks for graduates. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between higher education offerings and labour market demands, addressing long-standing concerns about graduate employability, reports Tanzania Insight.

In a directive issued on 28 April at the National Assembly in Dodoma, Minister of State in the President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Ridhiwani Kikwete emphasised the need for early consultation between universities and government agencies when developing new courses.

The announcement came in response to a question from Special Seats MP Asha Feruzi (Chama Cha Mapinduzi, CCM), who sought clarification on the government’s strategy for absorbing graduates from programmes not included in the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat cadres.

Higher Education Council (HEC) has launched a nationwide outreach programme targeting higher learning institutions, in a move aimed at assessing and improving the quality of education, governance, and programme delivery.

The exercise, which started on Monday, May 4, at the University of Rwanda's (UR) Nyarugenge Campus, brings together officials from HEC and the Ministry of Education to engage directly with universities on challenges affecting quality teaching and learning, as well as the implementation of the Higher Education Sector Strategic Plan.

Speaking at the launch, HEC Director General Edward Kadozi said the initiative is intended to better understand how institutions operate, identify existing gaps, and determine what needs to be done to address them in line with improving the quality of education.

THE Tanzanian government is intensifying efforts to accelerate digital education as it positions technology a central pillar in transforming teaching methods while equipping students with future-ready skills. The push comes amid growing recognition that classrooms must evolve to match the demands of a rapidly digitalizing economy, where basic digital literacy is no longer sufficient.

Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Angellah Kairuki said the country is witnessing a decisive shift in digital adoption, noting that the integration of digital tools is building competencies among learners required in an increasingly technology-driven world.

“By transitioning our educators from digital anxiety to digital agency, we are ensuring that Tanzanian schools are ready for the future,” she said during the China High-tech fair, where she visited the DigiTruck, a mobile, solar-powered classroom project designed to deliver digital skills to underserved communities.

Across Africa and beyond, education systems are shifting to curricula designed to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Competency-based curricula put learners at the centre. They are meant to prepare students for a rapidly changing world, where success depends on the ability to adapt, think critically and solve complex problems.

Unlike traditional curricula, which often emphasise covering content and memorising facts, competency-based curricula focus on how students apply what they learn in real-world situations. For example, instead of simply recalling scientific definitions, students might be asked to use a concept to explain how diseases spread.

Much of the discussion around this shift in education has focused on familiar challenges, including teacher preparedness, availability of learning materials, and how faithfully the curriculum is implemented.

The Ministry of Education (MOE), in collaboration with the Government of Japan and United Nations partners, has launched the 2025 Japan Supplementary Budget Projects, marking a major step toward strengthening Liberia’s education system through a coordinated, multi-sector approach that links learning with health, protection and community wellbeing.

The initiative, unveiled Monday, April 27, brings together national stakeholders and international partners in a renewed push to address long-standing challenges affecting children both inside and outside the classroom. Officials say the program reflects a shift toward integrated service delivery recognizing that education outcomes are closely tied to broader social and environmental conditions.

The launch is aligned with Pillar 6 of the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which prioritizes human capital development through inclusive education, improved health systems and strengthened social protection.

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 30 Public universities have recorded a sharp decline in government funding over the past three years, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS). The report shows that 24 universities lost up to Sh13 billion in allocations between the 2023/2024 and 2025/2026 financial years under the new funding model.

At the University of Nairobi, funding dropped from Sh2.44 billion in 2023/2024 to Sh947.8 million in 2024/2025, before falling further to Sh534.79 million in 2025/2026. The number of government-sponsored students also declined from 23,666 to 10,859.

The Technical University of Mombasa saw funding cut from Sh1.06 billion to Sh90.9 million over the same period, while Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology allocations fell from Sh2.5 billion to Sh474.83 million, alongside a drop in sponsored students.

Teachers are trained not just in methodology, but also in understanding themselves and their unique role, the science and art of teaching, human development, and the intentionality needed to prepare an environment where children can reach their full potential.

Certified Montessori educators are not only scarce, but many who are trained often go on to establish their own schools or require salaries that a growing institution may struggle to pay or sustain, and rightly so, quality deserves value.

Montessori does not limit a child; it liberates such a pupil. It equips children with independence, confidence, critical thinking, and adaptability skills that transcend any system or environment. When learning is driven by curiosity, excellence becomes a habit, not a performance. Relying only on external validation is like fuelling a car with borrowed energy it will eventually run out. But intrinsic motivation? That is a renewable source from within.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan (UI), has restated calls on the Federal Government to fully implement all outstanding agreements with ASUU, including financial and non-financial commitments.

The Chairperson of ASUU-UI, Dr. Adefemi Afolabi, said this in Ibadan on Tuesday during the orientation programme for 500 recently employed academic staff of the institution. The event also had in attendance employed academic staff members who were not acquainted with the union’s principles and university regulations.

The ASUU chairman also called for greater university autonomy and increased access to research grants to boost innovation, publication output and global ranking of Nigerian universities. According to him, Nigeria has the capacity to place many universities among the top-ranked institutions in Africa if the right support is provided.

TANZANIA must overhaul its education model to prioritise practical, market-relevant skills if it is to tackle persistent socio-economic challenges, presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Dr Alex Malasusa has said.

Speaking at a Form Six graduation ceremony for Kaizirege and Kemebos schools near Bukoba Municipality, Dr Malasusa urged a shift away from an academic system that produces job seekers toward one that nurtures creativity, innovation and self-reliance.

“Graduates must not detach themselves from the communities that raised them,” he said. “They have a responsibility to use their knowledge and skills to bring about meaningful change and development.” The bishop framed skills-based education as central to addressing what he described as Tanzania’s enduring “three enemies” ignorance, poverty and disease arguing that aligning training with labour market demands is critical to building a resilient and inclusive economy.

The Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet Steenkamp, has responded to concerns raised by teachers following the reduction and in some cases removal of bush (remoteness and hardship) allowances.

Steenkamp told New Era that the review was necessary and long overdue. She explained that the process was guided by Public Service Staff Rules, which require that such allowances be reviewed every five years.
The minister said many areas that were once remote have changed over time. Roads have been improved in some places.

Schools have been upgraded. Electricity and water supply have also reached certain communities. Health services and shops are now more accessible in some regions. “Because of these improvements, some areas no longer meet the criteria for bush allowances. The allowance is meant for duty stations that are remote and lack basic services,” she explained.