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The Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri is a foremost College of education located in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, Nigeria. It was established in April, 1963 as the Advanced Teachers Training College by the defunct Eastern Nigeria Government. It started in the grounds of the Old Shell Camp, Owerri but has expanded across the Orlu Road and now bestrides the Nworie River. It awards the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) and in affiliation with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka has been producing students for the Bachelor of Education (B.ed) since 1984. The current Provost is Dr. (Mrs.) Blessing C. Ijioma who also is the first female Provost of the College.

History

The College was founded in 1963 as the Advanced Teachers Training College with technical assistance from UNESCO. It was charged with the responsibility of producing teachers of intermediate manpower in line with the Ashby report on Higher Education in Nigeria. In 1973, via Edict No. 11 promulgated by the Administrator of East-Central State of Nigeria, Ukpabi Asika, the Teachers College became a College of Education and was named Alvan Ikoku in honour of Mr. Alvan Ikoku, a teacher and educationist, founder of the first African owned secondary school in Nigeria (Aggrey Memorial Grammar School) and President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) for many years.[1] Alvan Ikoku’s image is on the Ten Naira note.

The College started with a 150 students but by 2012 the student population had grown to over 13,000 with over 600 academic staff. The students include regular undergraduates, Sandwich students, Evening and Weekend students and post-graduates studying the Professional Diploma in Education. In 1976, a campus of the College catering to the Department of Agriculture was established in Umuahia, now the capital of Abia State. Next was the establishment of an Orlu campus in 1981, but the multi-campus system was ended in 1987 and the College reverted to a single campus institution.

In 2007, the Federal Government took over the College and it metamorphosed into Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri. The Federal Government take-over brought improved financial aid and the College has become able to renovate dilapidated structures, build large classrooms, laboratories and hostels and expanded the staff strength. Throughout 2013, the College would be celebrating its golden jubilee, which is essentially a celebration of 50 years of being in the forefront of teacher education in Nigeria.

Schools

The College has 6 Schools which include the:


 * 1) School of Agriculture and Vocational Studies
 * 2) School of Arts
 * 3) School of Education
 * 4) School of Natural Sciences
 * 5) School of Social Sciences
 * 6) School of General Studies

Principals/Provosts


 * Mr. A. J. Brooks (UNESCO expert)
 * Mr. J. O. Wachukwu (1970)
 * Mr. Munonye (1970 -1974)
 * Prof. B. O. Ukeje (First Provost: 1974-1980)
 * Prof. S. N. Nwosu (1980 – 1985)
 * Prof. N. A Nwagwu (1986 – 1992)
 * Prof. E. N. Emenyonu (1992 – 1995)
 * Dr. Dan Onwukwe (Acting: 1995)
 * Prof. A. E. Afigbo (Sole Administrator: 1996 – 1997)
 * Prof. L. E Amadi (1997 – 1999)
 * Dr. Dan Onwukwe (1999 – 2004)
 * Prof. Ngozi Uwazurike (2004 - 2009)
 * Dr. H. C. Amadi (Acting: 2009 – 2010)
 * Dr. (Mrs.) Blessing C. Ijioma (2010- Date)

Academics

The establishment of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri in 1963, just three years after Nigeria’s independence was a milestone in the annals of education in Nigeria, especially the South-East. As a institution solely disposed to research, teaching and training teachers for both the intermediate and higher education sectors, the College has in the past fifty years contributed immensely to the production of quality teachers in the country. In 1984, the College became affiliated with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the premier University in the country, to award the Bachelor’s degree in various subject areas in combination with Education.

Students

The College houses the students in hostels named alphabetically from A-G. The College has students from all over the country and several countries from West Africa, especially the Spanish speaking countries whose citizens come to study English at the International Centre for English Studies (ICES). Interestingly, the College has a predominantly female student population with females making up over 80%. Consequently, the female volleyball team is one of the strongest in the collegiate games in the country, consistently winning gold or silver in the Nigerian College of Education Games (NICEGA).

The Sandwich programme caters for people pursuing a teaching career who want to improve their education. The Sandwich students study during the holidays when the regular undergraduate students have dispersed and primary and secondary schools are on break. The Sandwich system has enabled many teachers to get the relevant credentials to progress in the teaching profession.

The students have a Student Union Government (SUG) led by an elected President and a Students Representative Council (SRC), a body of elected student legislators. Inspite of the dominant female population, the SUG Presidents have always been males.

Satellite Schools

The College runs demonstration schools. They are AIFCE Kindergaten/Nursery School, AIFCE Staff Primary School and the Alvana Model Secondary School. The Staff primary school was set up in 1983 and the secondary school started in October, 1994. The satellite schools were established to help teachers and students carry out their teaching practice activities, a major requirement for graduation, and to solve the educational needs of the staff and general public by providing professionally run schools at the three levels.

Notable Alumni


 * Ms Comfort Obi – Publisher of The Source Magazine
 * Dr. (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe – Ambassador, Minister, Politician
 * Sen. Emma Anosike – Politician
 * Bishop Ngozi Durueke – Clergy

References

1.	Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (2012). Sandwich/EWP Students Handbook. Art Publishers: Owerri.