GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT
The study sought to assess the proliferation of Colleges of Education and its effects on teacher
education programme. The design of the study was ex-post facto research design. The study was
conducted in Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit. The population consisted of all
the 152 Colleges of Education in Nigeria (both accredited and non-accredited ones) and 5
private Cs.O.E. also formed the sample size. From each of the 5 Colleges of Education, 50
respondents were randomly selected using stratified random sampling technique and it gave a
sample size of 250 respondents. The instruments used for the study was the information gotten
from official website of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (2020) and a
questionnaire administered to teachers and non-teaching staff of the 5 privately owned C.O.E.
The data collected were analyzed using percentage analysis. Based on the findings of the study,
it was concluded that the proliferation of C. O. E. in Nigeria is purely for monetary gains, while
downplaying the rules and regulations given by N.C.C.E. on accreditation of programmes in the
Colleges. Effects of this was seen in the production of poorly baked N.C.E. teachers and one sees
that no educational system can rise above the quality of the teachers; especially at this
foundational level. The study therefore recommended that National Commission for Colleges of
Education should come up with strict measures to regulate the establishment of Colleges of
Education.
KEY WORDS: Proliferation, Colleges of Education, Teacher Education Programme