The Federal Government has scrapped the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes in colleges of education across the country.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the development on Monday during the 2026 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja.
Under the new policy, candidates seeking admission into NCE programmes will only be required to possess a minimum of four O’Level credits in relevant subjects.
According to the minister, the decision is aimed at reducing the administrative burden on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) while also expanding access to teacher education in the country.
The policy marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s admission process for colleges of education, with stakeholders expected to monitor its impact on enrolment and the quality of teacher training.
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