FCE Okene Secures NUC Accreditation to Run Independent Degree Programmes

The Federal College of Education (FCE), Okene, Kogi State, has received the green light from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to independently run its own degree programmes, marking a major shift from its long-standing affiliations with established universities.

The institution’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Jibril Abdulrahman, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Saturday. According to him, the approval followed a successful resource verification exercise conducted by an NUC panel on Thursday.

Abdulrahman explained that the panel, comprising distinguished academics drawn from various disciplines, visited the College to evaluate its preparedness to deliver degree courses under the newly established dual mandate. He said the experts expressed satisfaction with the College’s academic staff strength, facilities, and overall readiness to commence autonomous degree awarding.

Speaking during the event, the Provost of the College, Dr Ibrahim Ismaila Mosimabale, described the approval as a historic milestone. He noted that the development brings the institution closer to fulfilling its long-standing aspiration of offering higher-quality education under its own name.

The Provost also extended gratitude to the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, for including FCE Okene among the 15 Federal Colleges cleared to independently award degrees alongside the traditional NCE certification, as stipulated in the Federal Colleges of Education Act, 2023.

He announced that admission into the newly approved degree programmes would begin next week for both UTME candidates and direct-entry applicants. Dr Mosimabale recalled that the College had previously run degree programmes in partnership with the University of Ibadan and Ekiti State University, producing graduates who performed excellently.

He added that the College’s robust academic workforce and infrastructure make the transition to autonomous degree-awarding status both timely and beneficial.

Also speaking, a Deputy Director at the NUC, Mr Theophilus Ogber, congratulated the institution and encouraged its management to fully embrace the opportunities that come with the new status.

He emphasized the need for a renewed vision and strengthened strategic direction that aligns with the College’s upgraded role. “You must craft a fresh mission, set new strategic goals, and ensure that these reflect your upgraded position as an autonomous degree-awarding institution,” he said.