Dr Smart Olugbeko has been appointed as the new Provost of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Olugbeko, a seasoned academic and administrator, brings over 25 years of experience in the College of Education system. He began his academic career at Adeyemi Federal University of Education, formerly Adeyemi College of Education, where he rose from Lecturer III to Chief Lecturer in 2016.

He also served on sabbatical and secondment at Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka and Federal College of Education (Technical), Ekiadolor.

Olugbeko earned his bachelor’s degree in English and Education from Ekiti State University, then Ondo State University, in 1992. He obtained two master’s degrees from the University of Ibadan in Personnel Psychology and Language Education in 1998 and 2003, respectively. He also holds a PhD from the University of Staffordshire, alongside postgraduate certificates in Leadership in Strategic Communication from Johns Hopkins University and Bilingualism from Utrecht University.

He has authored four books and published over 60 scholarly papers in national and international journals. His academic contributions include membership of key committees such as the Africa Research Network on Artificial Intelligence, the National Research Fund (NRF), and several dual-mandate implementation committees.

As an administrator, Olugbeko has served as Head of Department and Dean of the School of Education at Adeyemi Federal University of Education.

In union leadership, he served as Chairman of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) at Adeyemi College, later becoming National Vice President and immediate past National President of the union.

During his tenure, he championed the passage of the Federal College of Education Establishment Bill, signed into law by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which introduced the Dual Mandate policy, allowing Colleges of Education to award bachelor’s degrees and granting professorial status to lecturers in the system.

He also facilitated revitalisation funds for Colleges of Education and strengthened international collaborations through memoranda of understanding with the University of Kigali and the Africa Forum for Innovative Teachers.