Establishment of institutions is a product of many factors which include significantly the prevailing socio-political circumstances at the time of their birth. The story of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun via Ijebu Ode is not particularly different from this basic assumption. It is the story of an institution founded at the beginning of the new millennium to enhance strategic human capital development of the State in the diverse, fast changing, global and technologically competitive dynamics of the teaching profession.
Welcome to Tai Solarin University of Education, the Nation’s Premier University of Education and the preferred University of Education of the 21st Century. TASUED was proclaimed by the Ogun State Government on the 29th of January, 2005, and approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) on the 28th of November, 2005, as the 76th and the first specialised University of Education in Nigeria. We are 2nd in Africa and 8th in the World, hence our adoption of the formula 1-2-8.
TASUED is proudly the flagship of University of Education in Nigeria and a unique tertiary institution teaching both the curriculum subject contents and the pedagogy for effective transfer of knowledge. The University is located on the large expanse of land along Sagamu–Ore-Benin expressway in Ijagun, Imaweje and Ijele Communities on a beautiful landscape where the main campus is situated in a serene academic environment. It is important to note that TASUED is a transformation of the then Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) that was formerly Ogun State College of Education established in 1978, the first tertiary Institution to be established by the Ogun State Government after its creation in 1976. The old College of Education offered an opportunity for the immediate take off of the University in view of the huge financial responsibilities of acquiring a new site and establishing a new campus somewhere else.
It has as its vision “to be the Preferred University of Education which will excel in preparing educators who will be leaders in all spheres of the discipline”, while the mission is “to enhance the quality of teaching and learning and continuously update the method and skills of knowledge providers by equipping them with modern technology and services delivered by skilled and motivated members of staff to meet the contemporary and future needs of Nigeria with the capability to compete globally”.
The University, in its 19 years of existence, has been administered by five different Vice Chancellors with various physical and personnel developmental thrusts. The Pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olukayode Oyekanmi Oyesiku, a Professional Urban and Regional Planner, who set the pace for the astronomical physical development of the University. He was the Vice-Chancellor between 1st April, 2005 – 31st March, 2010: followed by Prof. Olusegun Victor Awonusi; the second Vice Chancellor who held the office from 1st April, 2010 – 8th January, 2013 and then the 1st Female and 3rd Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Oluyemisi Oluremi Obilade from 9th January, 2013 – 8th January, 2018. Prof. Abayomi Adelaja Arigbabu; the 4th and the 1st Indigenous Vice Chancellor held the office from the 19th March, 2018 – 1st November, 2020. They have in different ways lifted the University to greater heights. The current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwole Sikiru Banjo assumed duty on 2nd November, 2020 as the 2nd indigenous and 5th Vice-Chancellor of the University poised to lead TASUED up critical steps towards the attainment of its vision.
Physical projects are part of the history of the University itself. Apart from the inherited physical structures from the old College of Education, numerous individuals and philanthropists have, at various times, donated one structure or the other, thereby contributing to the overall architecture of the institution. The University embarked on these giant strides through the establishment of the University Trust Foundations Pioneered by the late renowned Economist and former Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the Asiwaju of Ijebuland, Prof. Adebayo Adedeji, who commissioned the University Foundations Building on Thursday, 25th February, 2010, having laid the foundation in July, 2004.
Other corporate organisations and philanthropists followed suit. These include:
As a way of giving back to the University which has been their client for years, some financial institutions also keyed into the vision of the institution by donating one project or the other, e.g.
To galvanize support for the University and serve as an engine room of progress for educational development, the then Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Olufemi Adebisi Bamiro in 2018 instituted another TASUED Foundations headed by the former Deputy Governor of Central Bank, Rev. Tunde Lemo OFR with other notable eminent Nigerians as members to drive the developmental initiatives of the University.
The pivotal instinct of having the first University of Education in Nigeria in TASUED is predicated on the need to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in our school system for the enhancement of human capacity. There was also the compelling need to set up a Centre of Excellence in Education which will serve as referral to existing Faculties of Education in Nigerian Universities and across the African continent in the field of Pedagogy, Andragogy and Technology Education. We make bold to affirm that the University has, within the short time of its existence, been serving as a melting-pot for the formulation of educational policies and as a resource centre for the Colleges/Institutes of Education across the Nation.
TASUED has also globally produced high-level professional teachers in high quantities, who are well grounded in the mastery of curriculum contents and the methodology skills for the right impartation of knowledge.
Presently, the University has developed from its traditional four Colleges to six, thus making TASUED the first University in Nigeria to a full-fledged College dedicated to Vocational and Technology Education Programme, while it’s Technical Education Department has become a blessing to the University in its revenue generation drive. The University recently got approval from the National Universities Commission to expand our educational scope to offer B.A, B.Sc, M.A, M.Sc, and PhD in addition to our B.A (Ed), B.Sc (Ed) and M.Ed as part of our academic programme thus bringing it to 59 academic programmes in TASUED.
We have successfully restructured two (2) Departments in the College of Specialised and Professional Education. The Department of Educational Foundation and Instructional Technology has been reinstituted into Department of Childhood Education and Department of Educational Technology. In the same vein, the Department of Counselling Psychology has been reinstituted into the Department of Counselling and Educational Foundation.
The University has seven teaching, research and service Centres:
The University has 890 workforce with a student population of 19,831 and its ever growing alumni spread across the nooks and crannies of labour markets across the federation and beyond who had been making the University proud in their successful exploits and meaningful contributions to nation building. The small but beautiful campus is reputed for keeping her environment green and walkways clean in a serene academic environment bequeathed it by nature and the benevolence and friendliness of the hosting communities.
TASUED, the young, dynamic and unique institution, the dream of a better tomorrow is working hard to achieve its vision and mission towards global excellence and significant mileage towards our desired goals.
