The Nigerian government has announced a major policy shift in its tertiary education admission, scrapping the writing of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, for admission into the Nigeria Certificate of Education programme ( NCE) and the National Diploma programme in Agriculture.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that during the ongoing 2026 policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in Abuja. He said the new policy is part of ongoing reforms by the Federal Ministry of Education aimed at widening access to tertiary education, particularly in teacher training and agriculture-related programmes considered critical to national development.
Alausa explained that candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education, NCE, programme with a minimum of four credit passes were exempted. He added that although affected candidates would no longer be required to sit for the UTME, they must still register with JAMB and undergo screening and verification through the Central Admissions Processing System, CAPS, before admission letters can be issued.
He said the decision followed consultations with relevant stakeholders in the education sector and was designed to reduce the burden associated with the UTME while encouraging more students to enrol in colleges of education and agricultural institutions.
“In recognition of this reality, the Federal Ministry of Education, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, has taken a deliberate policy position. Accordingly, candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME,” the minister stated.
The exemption, according to him, would also apply to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma, ND, programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
Education stakeholders have often expressed concern over declining enrolment in colleges of education across the country, warning that the trend could worsen the shortage of qualified teachers in basic education institutions.
Analysts believe the latest policy could significantly increase access to teacher education by removing one of the major barriers faced by prospective candidates, especially those from rural and low-income backgrounds.
The policy is also expected to ease the pressure on the UTME system, which annually records millions of candidates competing for limited admission spaces into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Officials at the meeting noted that despite the exemption, all admissions would still be centrally monitored through JAMB’s CAPS platform to ensure transparency, credibility and compliance with admission guidelines.
The Federal Government has in recent years introduced several reforms targeted at revitalising the education sector, improving access to tertiary education and aligning academic programmes with national manpower needs.
Observers say the latest decision may further boost enrolment into colleges of education at a time the country is seeking to strengthen foundational learning and improve the quality of teaching across public schools. More details on the implementation guidelines and admission procedures are expected to be released by JAMB and the Federal Ministry of Education in the coming days.
