By Mariam Abeeb
The Federal Government has exempted candidates seeking admission into Federal Colleges of Education from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the development on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in Abuja.
Alausa said the exemption also applies to candidates seeking admission into programmes related to technology, agriculture and other allied courses.
He, however, explained that affected candidates must possess the required O’Level qualifications and undergo screening by JAMB for proper documentation and admission processing.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, described the annual policy meeting as a critical platform where stakeholders deliberate on admission procedures, institutional capacity and access to tertiary education.
“This policy meeting remains one of the most important events in our education calendar because it brings stakeholders together to discuss admission guidelines, school capacity and access to tertiary education,” she said.
Ahmad stated that the Federal Government was committed to building an admission system that is transparent, merit-based and accessible to all qualified candidates, regardless of their background or location.
She reaffirmed government’s commitment to maintaining academic standards while expanding access to higher education opportunities across the country.
According to her, technology will continue to play a major role in improving the admission process and reducing irregularities within the system.
The minister further disclosed that the government is collaborating with relevant education agencies to strengthen teacher training programmes and expand opportunities for students, including plans to allow colleges of education to award degrees.
She commended the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for reforms introduced into the admission process and urged stakeholders to remain committed to fairness and national development.
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