The Federal Government has taken a bold step to sanitize Nigeria’s education sector by shutting down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

The crackdown was carried out by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) after an extensive personnel audit and financial monitoring exercise across federal institutions.

The NCCE said the move became necessary to protect students and safeguard the integrity of the nation’s education system, which has been threatened by unlicensed institutions offering fake certificates.

This comes shortly after President Bola Tinubu directed education regulatory agencies — including the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the NCCE — to weed out what he described as “certificate millers” damaging the credibility of higher learning in Nigeria.

Speaking during the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, the President, represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, emphasized that the government will not compromise on academic standards.

“This administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” Tinubu said.

He further noted that the NYSC, JAMB, NUC, NBTE, and NCCE are working together to ensure that unrecognised schools and cases of certificate forgery have no place in Nigeria’s education system.

The closure of these illegal institutions marks a significant move towards restoring trust and quality in the country’s education sector, while also serving as a warning to others operating without proper approval.