Imo College of Education Set For degree programme  — Acting Provost … lauds Imo NUJ over award

By EDISON Okereke

The Benjamin Uwajumogu State College of Education, Ihitte/Uboma, Imo State will commence degree programmes in education in October this year.

The Acting Provost of the College, Dr. (Mrs) Chinyere MaryRose Nwachukwu, disclosed this on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, shortly after she was honoured with the Distinguished Personality Award by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo State Council.

Nwachukwu said the College, which is currently running the NCE and Professional Diploma in Education, PDE, programmes, will key into the dual mandate policy that allows Colleges of Education to run degree programmes.

“Currently, Benjamin Uwajumogu State College of Education is commencing degree programme come this October. We call it the dual mandate. We do NCE programme cum PDE cum degree programme, 3 years NCE, 2 years degree programme,” she said.

She disclosed that in less than four months, the College is expecting the National Universities Commission, NUC, for resource assessment ahead of the take-off of the degree programme.

The Acting Provost attributed the rapid growth of the institution to the support of the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, whom she described as education-friendly and fondly called “Mpa” at Ihitte/Uboma.

According to her, the Governor’s magnanimity led to the College’s first accreditation from 3rd to 8th March 2023, where it secured full accreditation for 45 courses under the National Commission for Colleges of Education, NCCE, the PDE accreditation in June of the same year, and its maiden convocation last year.

“All credit goes to His Excellency. He has done so much. Each time he sees our documents, he is very gracious and magnanimous enough to approve and give us all that is needed. He is a lover of education and we love him for that,” she said.

Reacting to the NUJ award conferred on her, Dr. Nwachukwu said she felt highly honoured, noting that she least expected the recognition coming from a rural institution.

“I feel highly honored. I least expected this, because you can see where I’m coming from. I am like in the village. So, people coming to see what we are doing there and recognizing us is a very welcome development,” she stated.

She promised to uphold transparency and God-fearing leadership, saying “to whom much is given, much is expected. Reward for hard work is more work. I promise to uphold that legacy that has been handed over to me, to be transparent in all my dealings, God-fearing in all that I do, to enable me improve teaching and learning and the welfare of teacher education in Imo State and in Nigeria.”