The National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students, NANCES, has issued a five-working-day ultimatum to the Benue State Government to resolve the prolonged industrial action in the state’s Colleges of Education or risk a nationwide student mobilization.
In an open letter addressed to Governor Hyacinth Iormen Alia and released from the NANCES National Secretariat in Abuja on August 2nd, the association expressed deep concern over the continued closure of Benue State College of Education, Katsina-Ala and Benue State College of Education, Oju. The letter was signed by the National President, Comr. Kur Isaac Ushahemba, who noted that he is also a student of COE Katsina-Ala and therefore speaks from direct experience of the hardship caused by the strike.
According to NANCES, the situation has become untenable because other tertiary institutions in Benue have had their agitations attended to while Colleges of Education and Polytechnics continue to be neglected. The association described this disparity as unfair and warned that it undermines the principle of equity in the state’s education sector.
The group outlined two immediate demands for the state government. First, it wants the strike called off and academic activities to resume without further delay in both Katsina-Ala and Oju. Second, it is demanding the payment of all outstanding salaries and arrears owed to lecturers in the two institutions. NANCES argued that the welfare of teachers cannot be separated from the quality of education, and that withholding salaries sends the wrong signal about the value placed on education by those in authority. “It is unjust for any government to withhold salaries and arrears of lecturers,” the letter stated. “Teachers are the bedrock of education. If we neglect them, we destroy the future of education.”
Beyond the issue of staff remuneration, NANCES also raised concerns about student welfare in the state. The association said that since the inception of the current administration, Benue students have not benefited from any state scholarship program. It accused the State Scholarship Board of remaining dormant at a time when economic hardship has made support for indigent students more critical than ever. The group maintained that students in Colleges of Education are among the most vulnerable in the tertiary system because many of them come from low-income families who depend on public institutions for affordable training.
The letter further connected the local crisis to national policy. NANCES noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been rolling out initiatives aimed at reducing the burden on students and expanding access to education through the Renewed Hope agenda. The association warned that it would be counter-productive for a state government to undermine those federal efforts by allowing Colleges of Education to remain shut. The group stressed that Colleges of Education remain the most affordable pathway for many young Nigerians who aspire to become teachers, and that abandoning them would have long-term consequences for basic education across the country.
In a pointed political reference, NANCES reminded the governor that young people will play a decisive role in the 2027 general elections. The association said students make up more than 80 percent of youth voters, and that how the government handles education today will shape its legacy and electoral fortunes. “The future of 2027 is in the hands of the youths,” the letter read. “Your re-election and legacy will be judged by how you treat education today.”
The National President warned that failure to act within five working days would leave the association with no choice but to mobilize members for a peaceful mass action. He said NANCES would also escalate the matter by formally informing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the Benue State Government was becoming an “enemy of progress” to the education sector. In addition, the association said it would take its case to the public, arguing that if the President loses support in Benue in 2027, it would be because the institutions most accessible to ordinary citizens were abandoned.
The ultimatum comes at a time when academic activities in many Colleges of Education across the country have been disrupted by funding challenges and welfare issues. Stakeholders have repeatedly called for increased investment in teacher training, noting that the quality of basic education depends largely on how well NCE graduates are prepared. In Benue, students at Katsina-Ala and Oju have been out of class for weeks, with many expressing frustration over lost academic time and uncertainty about when they will graduate.
The letter from NANCES was copied to several key stakeholders, including the Benue State Commissioner for Education, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education in Abuja, the National President of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, and all media houses. The wide circulation suggests the association intends to keep the issue in the public eye and build pressure for a swift resolution.
As of the time of filing this report, the Benue State Government had not issued an official response to the demands. Efforts to reach officials in the Ministry of Education for comment were unsuccessful. Government House in Makurdi has also not released a statement on the strike or on the scholarship concerns raised by students.
Education analysts say the standoff highlights a broader challenge facing sub-national governments in Nigeria, where competing fiscal priorities often leave tertiary institutions underfunded. They note that Colleges of Education have historically received less attention compared to universities and polytechnics, despite their critical role in producing teachers for primary and secondary schools.
For now, students at the two affected colleges remain at home, waiting to see whether the state government will meet NANCES’ deadline. The association said it remains committed to the welfare of its members and to the growth of education in Nigeria, and that it will monitor developments closely over the next five working days before deciding on the next line of action.
NANCES closed its letter with a call on the governor to reverse what it termed “anti-student policies” and to prioritize the education sector. “God bless Benue State. God bless NANCES. God bless Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
With the deadline now running, attention will turn to Makurdi to see if the government will engage the lecturers, settle outstanding payments, and reopen the colleges before students take to the streets in protest.
