Concepts Prospects And Future Of Nigeria Certificate In Education (N.E.C.) The Graduates

INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
The concept, prospects and future of Nigerian Certificate in Education (N.C.E.) programme in Nigeria educational system have been issues of concern since the N.C.E. programme was accepted as a minimum entry qualification for teaching profession.
In the past, all primary and most secondary school teachers were trained in intermediate teachers training institutions to become holder of the associateship certificate in education (ACE), Grade III teachers certificate, Grade II teachers certificate and Grade I teachers certificate (Anih 2001, Ikazue 2002 and Ibeazu 2003), but in the recent past colleges of education; Advance teachers colleges and polytechnics sprang up to offer diversified curricular for the training of teachers who would become holders of Nigerian certificate in education (N.C.E.). Okoye (2006) pointed out that apart from the N.C.E. and B.ED certificates, all other lower certificates will be phased out as certificates for the initial entry for teachers into the profession; and for the N.C.E. and B.ED programme, the content of their training usually includes courses in education as well as courses in their subject areas, the education courses to be the same depend on each prospective N.C.E. teachers main option; such option includes primary education, secondary education and teachers education options respectively.
Obirija (2008) observed that the recent rate of increase in the number of half-baked N.C.E. holders from different institutions of teacher education programme has attracted series of criticism. The criticism focuses on the poor quality of N.C.E. holders and their poor performance in the classroom. This invariably attracts the call for the review of the programme. It is on these premise that the researchers have decided to appraise the concept, prospects and future of the N.C.E. programme in Nigeria educational system.
Okoro (2003) defines concept as an idea or principle that is connected with something. Hornsby (1985) defines future as the time that will come after the present or the event that will happen then. The word prospect is now denoting the possibility that something may happen at a given period of time or not.
The above definitions have reflected on the present controversies that Nigeria Certificate in Education programme will be phased out completely in Nigeria. Basonk (2011) reported that the award of Nigeria Certificate in Education (N.C.E.) by the colleges of education and polytechnics may be scrapped. The minister of state for education, Barrister Kenneth Gbagi Olorogun announced that at a one-day meeting of stakeholders to disseminate study reports on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to teachers in Abuja, (source: http://www.nigerian news world.com/ content / controversy-trail-scrap).
The reason advanced by the minister of state for education for the proposed phasing out of the N.C.E. programme was that the quality of teachers produced by the Colleges of Education (COES) was too poor to cater for the primary level of education. Therefore the minister noted that N.C.E. would die a natural death. There is no doubt that the quality of N.C.E. graduate is far from desirable. This is a serious concern, because in the nation’s current policy on education, the N.C.E. is the minimum teaching qualification in primary school. Even so, the chronic shortage of teachers in existing primary schools makes any attempt at scrapping the N.C.E. at this time unwise. Indeed, because of the shortage the policy on minimum qualification was not enforced; that was why a special teacher upgrading programme (S.T.U.P.) was introduced to up-grade teachers grade two (TC II) holders to the N.C.E. level as part of the strategies to address the shortfall.
From this background we will have to investigate the concept, prospect and future of the Nigeria certificate in education programme using Enugu State as a case study.

Statement of the Problem
The proposed phasing out of Nigeria certificate in education (N.C.E.) programme from being a minimum teaching qualification does not only generate surprises to well meaning Nigerians but has resulted to a great controversies throughout the country. Okafor (2011) reported that such proposal by the minister of education if allowed to stay should have some negative effects on the attitudes of parents and would-be N.C.E. teachers in all colleges of education all over the country.
A visit to some colleges of education, for instance, Enugu State College of Education Technical Enugu will give you a true picture of what was in vogue, i.e. declining interest on the part of students that have read or heard of the proposal made by the minister. This give rise to some questions such as; what would be the future and prospect of Nigeria certificate in education (N.C.E.) programme in Nigeria? Would the purported phasing out of N.C.E. programme bring lasting solution to the poor quality of education in Nigeria? The above issues raised prompted this study and the researchers carried out the study and made some suggestions to addressing the issues.

Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine the concept, prospects and the future of the Nigeria certificate in education (N.C.E.) graduates Enugu State.
The Specific objectives of the study are to determine:-
i) The concept of the Nigeria Certificate in education (N.C.E) in Enugu State.
ii) The prospects of the Nigeria Certificate in education (N.C.E) in Enugu State.
iii) The future of the Nigeria Certificate in education (N.C.E) in Enugu State.

Research Question
The following research questions will guide this study:-
i) What are the concepts of the Nigeria Certificate in education (N.C.E) programme in Enugu State.
ii) What are the prospects of the Nigeria Certificate in education (N.C.E) programme in Enugu State.
iii) What are the future of the Nigeria Certificate in education (N.C.E) programme in Enugu State.

Scope of the Study
This study is limited to the determination of the concept, prospects and future of the N.C.E. programme in Nigeria with particular reference to N.C.E. awarding institutions in Enugu State. However, the choice of Enugu and N.C.E. awarding institutions in Enugu State, was predicated on the availability and accessibility of the required sought variables within the institutions in the state for the researchers to access. The research was also limited to Enugu State by virtue of its zonal headquarters status, for the South East geopolitical zone.

Significance of the Study
The findings and recommendations of the study will be of great significant to the government, private school owners, teachers, students, pupils and parents, and in related study, further researchers will as well find the study very useful.
Government will from the study make out some viable deductions and solutions to the on going controversies about the purported scrapping off of the N.C.E programme in the country. Government will also after going through the project try to improve on the quality of education in colleges of education so as to encourage maximum performance on the part of the teachers for better service delivery.
The study will help clear the misconception of people and government about the N.C.E programme in Nigeria education system.