Because of the support it got from the provincial government, it operated primarily as a provincial high school and was called the Iloilo Normal Institute. It had three departments: the normal, preparatory and commercial. In 1924, the teacher-training department became independent as the Iloilo Normal School. By virtue of Republic Act 4189, the school became West Visayas State College in 1965. Before and after this transition, departments and colleges were also set up. Finally, it became a University in 1986 through Presidential Decree 2019.

In 1995, the Commission on Higher Education has identified the College of Education as one of the Centers of Excellence in Teacher Education in the country and has retained this eminent title up to the present.

The BEED and BSED programs of the College of Education have been awarded a Level III Re-Accredited status while the Graduate School Doctoral and the Master’s programs have qualified for Level III as assessed by the Accrediting Agency of Charted Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP). It is worthy to note that the BSPED program has been given an award of merit for being the first Level III Re-Accredited Special Education Program in the Philippines .

The College of Education has never failed to produce an excellent performance in the Licensure Examination as reported by the Professional Regulations Commission. The rating of the College has been exceptionally high above the national passing percentage and the College never failed to reach the national top ten. A recent evidence of this the 2006 performance of the BEED exam takers, which when collectively taken, ranks first in the whole country, and the BSED test takers collectively ranks second.

Today, the College of Education as the flagship college of the West Visayas State University, continues to move onward as it aims to produce globally competitive life-long learners by providing instruction that is responsive and relevant, initiating and undertaking research in teacher education and allied fields, collaborating and sharing expertise with local and international entities and continuously exhibiting and nurturing a culture of excellence Thus, every member of the College of Education family is entrusted with the noble duty of upholding the virtues and practice excellence. We are all being challenged to hit the mark, to do our best and to be the best! For as William Shakespeare once wrote, “Do not be afraid of greatness. Few are born great, while others have greatness thrust upon them.”