🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Nigeria to introduce competency-based digital curriculum for colleges of education
via Punch Nigeria7 min read
Angela Ajala, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education NCCE, announced plans to implement a competency-based digital curriculum across Nigeria's colleges of education. This initiative aims to enhance teacher education, producing digitally skilled and globally competitive educators. The reforms, unveiled during her first 100 days in office, focus on curriculum modernization, digital transformation, skills acquisition, inclusive education, and the dual-mandate policy. Ajala emphasized that the new curriculum, developed in collaboration with the National Universities Commission and other stakeholders, will prioritize practical skills and digital learning over excessive theory. It will support self-paced learning, remote teaching, and technology-enabled instruction, ensuring learning continuity regardless of location. The NCCE is also partnering with the National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA to integrate digital literacy into teacher preparation. Additionally, skills acquisition will be a key component, enabling graduates to obtain a skills certificate, an NCE qualification, and potentially a degree. Ajala defended ongoing reforms to the Nigeria Certificate in Education NCE, stating they are necessary to reposition teacher education and promote inclusive access. She acknowledged funding as a major challenge but highlighted partnerships with development agencies. Dr. Ademola Salami, Chairman of the Committee of Provosts of Federal
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled June 30, 2026, for a ruling on an application by activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore. Sowore is seeking the restoration of his bail and the setting aside of a bench warrant issued against him. Justice Mohammed Umar adjourned the matter after both parties adopted their processes. The court had revoked Sowore's bail and issued a bench warrant on June 16 after he failed to appear for his trial on allegations of cybercrime and criminal defamation. The Department of State Services is prosecuting Sowore for allegedly referring to President Bola Tinubu as a "criminal" on his social media accounts. Sowore has pleaded not guilty. His counsel filed a motion seeking to set aside the bail revocation, vacate the bench warrant, and restore his earlier bail conditions. The defence urged the court to grant the application, while the prosecution opposed it, arguing that Sowore had not presented truthful facts. Following the adjournment, the defence orally requested Sowore's release to his legal team, citing his poor health, but the prosecution opposed this. Justice Umar denied the request, stating it would defeat the purpose of preparing his ruling, and ordered Sowore to remain in custody until the June 30 ruling.
Must ReadDr. Bolaji Olagunju, Founder and Group Chairman of Workforce Group, argues that many public sector boards in Nigeria operate as "clubs" rather than effective governing bodies. He explains that while a club brings people together based on shared connections, a board should be composed of individuals who collectively possess the competencies to govern an institution. Olagunju highlights that the selection process for these boards often prioritizes political affiliation, social networks, and personal relationships over the necessary skills, independence of judgment, and diversity of perspective required for effective governance. This leads to "friendly boards" where disagreement is avoided, and critical conversations are not held, resulting in institutions slowly becoming irrelevant. He proposes an alternative: "boards of builders," which are deliberately composed based on the specific competencies needed to govern an institution, citing the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority NSIA and the Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS under Ifueko Omoigui Okauru as positive examples. Olagunju provides five tests to distinguish a club from a board, focusing on network diversity, competency-based selection, capacity for genuine disagreement, willingness to challenge the Chief Executive, and resilience to member changes. He concludes that changing how public sector board appointments are made, by prioritizing competence and independence over political and relational considerations, is cru
Must ReadFormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar has voiced concerns regarding the ongoing detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, cautioning that overly strict bail conditions could undermine constitutional protections and public trust in the justice system. In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the Federal High Court's refusal to review El-Rufai’s bail conditions as troubling, arguing that conditions impossible to meet amount to a “constructive denial of bail.” He maintained that while courts have discretion in setting bail, these powers must be exercised reasonably and align with justice principles, emphasizing that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty. Atiku questioned the rationale behind bail requirements that allegedly demand a defendant produce a serving Grade Level 17 federal civil servant with verifiable property in Abuja’s high-end Maitama or Asokoro districts. He warned that such judicial decisions could set precedents affecting the liberties of ordinary citizens, stressing that the judiciary must inspire confidence in the fairness and accessibility of justice. Atiku also expressed concern about a growing perception that opposition figures and government critics are increasingly embroiled in legal disputes, stating that no democracy thrives when legal processes appear to punish dissent. While not commenting on the allegations against El-Rufai, Atiku insisted that constitut