Education, agriculture candidates exempted from UTME, says JAMB

    Dr Tunji Alausa

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).

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced this on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja. Under the new guidelines, prospective candidates will only be required to obtain a minimum of four credit passes in their O’Level examinations to qualify for admission.

According to him, the policy is aimed at easing administrative burden on JAMB and encouraging greater participation in 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 stated.

Dr Alausa, however, stressed that affected candidates must still register with JAMB for screening, verification, and certification through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), in line with existing regulations. “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,” he said.

He further disclosed that the exemption also applies to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses. “This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses,” he added.

The Minister noted that the policy will take effect from next year and is designed to balance wider access to tertiary education with the integrity of the admission system. “This approach strikes a necessary balance between widening access and preserving the integrity of our admission system,” he said.