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The
Birth :
In April 1959, the Federal Ministry of Education, realizing the cardinal importance of educational development to a nation newly attaining political independence, appointed a Commission under the chairmanship of Sir Eric Ashby, Master of Clare College, Cambridge, to investigate the needs of Nigeria in Post-School Certificate and Higher Education.
On the basis of the report of this Commission, which was significantly entitled “Investment in Education”, the Government of Nigeria in 1961 presented to the Parliament a white paper on educational development up to 1970.
The white paper forsaw a possible increase in the enrolment of existing secondary schools and the building of 600 new ones, with an annual intake of pupils rising from 12,000 to 45,000.
In order to meet this rapid expansion, four new Advanced Teachers’ Training Colleges were recommended: One in Lagos and one in each of the three regions; Zaria, Owerri, and Ondo.
For the Colleges to take off, four requests for assistance were made to the then United Nations Special Fund which later became the United Nations Development Programme, Special Fund component.
Therefore, acting on the recommendation of the Ashby Commission, the Government of the former Northern Region established a `Northern Secondary Teachers’ College’ in Zaria.
The Northern Regional Government through the Federal Government, requested the United Nations Special Fund for assistance. The request was granted and a plan of operation was drawn up, which was formally signed in March 1963 by the
Federal Government of Nigeria, the United Nations Special Fund and UNESCO.
Authorization to start operations was given in May 1963, but the College was formally opened on 1st November, 1962 with an initial intake of 150 students. The project was originally envisaged for a five year duration. Subsequent revisions to the original plan of operation extended this for about three years. The name of the College was later changed to Zaria Teachers’ College.
Objectives of the College
The aims and objectives for establishing the College, at the take off, can be summarized as follows:
In April 1959, the Federal Ministry of Education, realizing the cardinal importance of educational development to a nation newly attaining political independence, appointed a Commission under the chairmanship of Sir Eric Ashby, Master of Clare College, Cambridge, to investigate the needs of Nigeria in Post-School Certificate and Higher Education.
On the basis of the report of this Commission, which was significantly entitled “Investment in Education”, the Government of Nigeria in 1961 presented to the Parliament a white paper on educational development up to 1970.
The white paper forsaw a possible increase in the enrolment of existing secondary schools and the building of 600 new ones, with an annual intake of pupils rising from 12,000 to 45,000.
In order to meet this rapid expansion, four new Advanced Teachers’ Training Colleges were recommended: One in Lagos and one in each of the three regions; Zaria, Owerri, and Ondo.
For the Colleges to take off, four requests for assistance were made to the then United Nations Special Fund which later became the United Nations Development Programme, Special Fund component.
Therefore, acting on the recommendation of the Ashby Commission, the Government of the former Northern Region established a `Northern Secondary Teachers’ College’ in Zaria.
The Northern Regional Government through the Federal Government, requested the United Nations Special Fund for assistance. The request was granted and a plan of operation was drawn up, which was formally signed in March 1963 by the
Federal Government of Nigeria, the United Nations Special Fund and UNESCO.
Authorization to start operations was given in May 1963, but the College was formally opened on 1st November, 1962 with an initial intake of 150 students. The project was originally envisaged for a five year duration. Subsequent revisions to the original plan of operation extended this for about three years. The name of the College was later changed to Zaria Teachers’ College.
Objectives of the College
The aims and objectives for establishing the College, at the take off, can be summarized as follows:
- To provide professionally qualified non-graduate teachers of Northern origin to man the Secondary and Teacher Training Colleges in the region.
- To provide professionally qualified Assistant Inspectors for primary schools.
- Through the products or graduates of the College, to be able to gradually northernise the entire staff of all the Secondary Schools and Teacher Training Colleges in the region.
