AfriqueCAN
STARTING next year, candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes in colleges of education will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
According to Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, who made the announcement on Monday, under the new guidelines, prospective students will only need a minimum of four O-level credits in school certificate to qualify for admission.
Alausa said that the move is designed to ease the administrative burden on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board – JAMB, and to “harness the positive orientation towards the teaching profession”.
“Accordingly, candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four (4) credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME,” the minister told the gathering,’’ the minister said during JAMB’s 2026 policy meeting in Abuja.
“However, it is imperative to emphasise that such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS, in accordance with extant regulations.”
“In the same vein, this exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into national diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses,” the minister said.
“This approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system. It will not only ease the pressure associated with UTME but also encourage greater participation in teacher education and agricultural programmes, both of which are critical to national development.”