Why did many countries move from normal-school teacher training toward college and university programs?

The transition from normal schools to college and university-based teacher education was driven by the long-term effort to elevate teaching to the status of a recognized profession.1

Historically, normal schools were designed to provide basic training for elementary teachers, often beginning before the completion of secondary education. However, as societies modernized and educational requirements grew more complex, these institutions were increasingly viewed as insufficient. The shift to higher education institutions was motivated by several key factors:21

• Professionalization: The move paralleled a broader struggle to establish teaching as a respected career, requiring more rigorous licensing, specialized knowledge in pedagogy, and higher academic standards.13
• Academic Integration: As secondary education expanded for the general population, there was a growing need to educate primary and secondary teachers alongside one another in multipurpose institutions, ensuring a higher level of general and professional education.2
• Institutional Evolution: By the mid-20th century, many former normal schools had evolved into teachers colleges and were eventually assimilated as departments or schools of education within universities to meet the demand for university-level degrees and qualifications.21

This transition reflects a global trend toward requiring teachers to hold university degrees, ensuring they possess both the academic depth and the professional training necessary for modern classrooms.2