The Federal Government has announced the removal of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes across colleges of education nationwide.
The major policy shift was announced by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during the 2026 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy meeting held in Abuja.
Under the new arrangement, prospective NCE students will only need a minimum of four O’Level credit passes to qualify for admission into colleges of education. Candidates will no longer be required to sit for the UTME examination before securing admission.
According to the minister, the decision is part of broader reforms aimed at expanding access to teacher education and reducing pressure on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, which continues to manage millions of UTME applications yearly.
Education stakeholders say the development represents one of the most significant admission policy changes in recent years within Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Although UTME will no longer be compulsory for NCE admission, candidates are still expected to register through JAMB for screening, documentation, and processing under the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
Officials explained that the reform is intended to encourage more young Nigerians to pursue careers in teaching, especially at a time when colleges of education have continued to record declining enrolment figures in several parts of the country.
The government also believes the move will make tertiary education more accessible for students from rural and low-income communities who often struggle with the financial and logistical demands associated with UTME registration and preparation.
Analysts note that the NCE programme remains a critical pathway for producing teachers for Nigeria’s primary and junior secondary school system.
The reform is also expected to reduce administrative pressure on JAMB, which processed over two million UTME candidates this year alone, placing heavy demands on examination infrastructure and coordination systems.
Education experts have reacted differently to the policy.
While some welcomed the decision as a practical step toward increasing access to teacher education, others stressed the need for strict quality assurance measures to maintain academic standards within colleges of education.
Observers say the success of the policy will depend largely on how effectively colleges of education manage admissions, screening, and training processes going forward.
The announcement comes amid broader education sector reforms introduced by the Federal Government, including increased digitalisation of examination systems and stricter enforcement against illegal admissions in tertiary institutions.
As implementation begins ahead of the new academic session, many students, parents, and education stakeholders are expected to closely monitor how the policy reshapes admission processes within Nigeria’s teacher education system.