By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Federal Government and the Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education, Nigeria (SSUCOEN) have signed a renegotiated agreement aimed at improving the welfare, working conditions and institutional development of senior staff in Colleges of Education across the country.
The agreement was formally signed on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the National Universities Commission (NUC) Boardroom, Julius Okojie Building, Abuja, following months of negotiations between the union and the Federal Government’s Expanded Tertiary Institutions Negotiation Committee.
The Federal Government negotiating team was led by the committee’s Chairman, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR, while the SSUCOEN delegation was led by its Immediate Past President and President Emeritus, Comrade Danladi Ali Msheliza.
According to SSUCOEN, about 90 per cent of its demands were accepted by the Federal Government, making the agreement a major milestone in the union’s prolonged struggle for improved conditions of service and reforms in the Colleges of Education subsector.
The union said the agreement covers conditions of service and staff welfare, training and development, institutional and governance reforms, funding, infrastructure, security and hygiene, as well as measures to strengthen teacher education in Nigeria.
Under the agreement, the existing CONTEDISS salary structure will be sustained, while a Consolidated Non-Teaching Tools Allowance (CONTTA) equivalent to 35 per cent of CONTEDISS will be introduced to replace the Professional Non-Academic Allowance (PNA).
The agreement also provides for the introduction of earned allowances, retention of the seven-rung salary grading structure and movement towards increased vacancies on CONTEDISS 15.
On institutional reforms, the parties reaffirmed the dual mandate of Colleges of Education to award both the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and Bachelor’s degrees.
The duration of degree programmes is to be a minimum of five years, with the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), NUC, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and SSUCOEN expected to work together to ensure seamless implementation.
The agreement further secured a commitment from government to review the outsourcing policy in order to improve security and hygiene on college campuses.
On funding and infrastructure, government committed to enhancing budgetary allocations, Needs Assessment Intervention Fund and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) interventions. State-owned Colleges of Education will also continue to benefit from TETFund and Needs Assessment interventions.
The agreement provides that the government will bear the full capital and recurrent costs of demonstration schools attached to Colleges of Education, while the process of mainstreaming the schools is expected to be completed urgently.
In the area of governance, the Federal Colleges of Education Act 2023 was accepted as the legal foundation of the College of Education system, with the Nigeria College of Education System formally established.
The parties also agreed to continue engagement with TETFund on staff training and development, while appointments in Colleges of Education are to strictly comply with existing conditions of service and other extant laws.
The NCCE is expected to enforce compliance with approved schemes and conditions of service, particularly in State Colleges of Education, with accreditation tied to such compliance.
To ensure implementation, the agreement provides for the establishment of an Implementation Monitoring Committee with SSUCOEN representatives. The agreement will also be reviewed every three years, with the next review scheduled for 2029.
The union further said its members would benefit from general wage reviews and other fringe benefits applicable to the public service.
SSUCOEN General Secretary, Comrade (Dr.) Aminu Auwalu, described the agreement as a landmark development, urging members to remain calm and await detailed communication from the National Secretariat on the implementation modalities.
He said the Federal Government had assured the union that implementation of the agreement would commence from January 1, 2026, following its formal signing.
The SSUCOEN President, Comrade Akinniyi Akinleye, said the agreement was the product of years of collective resilience, sacrifice and struggle by members of the union.
Akinleye urged members to remain united and vigilant, stressing that the achievement must be protected and directed towards the full implementation of the agreement.
He expressed appreciation to SSUCOEN members for their patience and support throughout the negotiation process, as well as to the Federal Government and the Expanded Tertiary Institutions Negotiation Committee for their commitment to dialogue and collective bargaining.
He added that the union would continue to pursue outstanding issues affecting its members and the Colleges of Education subsector.
