This is even as the President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr Smart Olugbeko, warned of the negative consequences of such in a country with acute shortage of qualified teachers at the basic education sub-sector.
The duo spoke at a three-day national conference and workshop on digital pedagogy and fundable research proposal writing organised by COEASU in collaboration with the Committee of Provosts.
They described the development as disturbing, considering the important role colleges of education play in producing teachers at the basic education level for the country.
Echono, while expressing dissatisfaction with the development, questioned the rationale behind it when existing colleges of education were not producing enough teachers for primary schools in the country.
The TEFTfund chief appealed to the Federal and state Governments to prioritise the development of basic education in the country.
He cited instances of Germany and Japan, where their teachers at the basic level earn more than their counterparts at the tertiary level.
Echono described the penchant to convert colleges of education to universities, as unnecessary, considering the fact that universities already have faculties of education.
“Why don’t we produce enough teachers for this basic level first? We can have some levels of specialisation because improvements come. And some of them already have that. But must we convert all our colleges of education to universities when we are not producing enough teachers for our primary schools?
“And you know the concept of the pyramid. The highest number of enrollment is at the primary level. So, that’s where we need the highest number of teachers.
And in countries that get it right, it is teachers at the basic level that earn more than those at the tertiary level.”
On his part, Olugbeko warned of negative consequences if all the colleges are converted.
The move, according to Olugbeko, is a misplaced priority on the part of government.
He enjoined the government to emulate China, where universities are being converted to technical institutions.
“Converting colleges to universities is at the peril of basic education because they were established to cater for the basic level of education. And this is the level of education that anybody that wants to be literate will need to pass through. They are specially dedicated to train people that will teach at this level.”
He specifically condemned the development in Lagos State where all state-owned institutions polytechnics and colleges of education have been converted to universities.
He warned that the action will have dire consequences, because while countries making waves in technology are converting their universities to polytechnics, as it was done in China, the reverse is the case in Nigeria.
