Federal Government Scraps UTME for Education and Agriculture Courses
The Federal Government has introduced new admission guidelines for candidates seeking entry into Colleges of Education and non-technology agriculture programmes in polytechnics and colleges of agriculture. This follows the abolition of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for these courses on Monday, May 11, 2026.
According to the Ministry of Education, the approval came after a stakeholders' meeting convened by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on April 30, 2026. The new policy aims to tackle restrictive admission processes that have contributed to rising numbers of out-of-school adolescents, limited access to tertiary education, and low enrolment in teacher education and agricultural programmes.
Guidelines for Registration
The ministry clarified that all prospective candidates will still be required to obtain the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) application form and process their admissions through the JAMB platform (CAPS). Admissions must be conducted strictly through JAMB CAPS, with existing minimum admission requirements unchanged. Applicants must upload their O'Level results on the JAMB portal, and admission letters will continue to be issued exclusively by JAMB upon verification.
Registration Process for NCE and ND Programmes
From the 2026/2027 academic session, candidates applying for NCE programmes will register through JAMB without taking UTME, with JAMB and Colleges of Education coordinating the process. Similarly, candidates seeking admission into ND non-technology agriculture programmes in polytechnics and colleges of agriculture will also apply through JAMB without UTME.
Admission Procedures and Monitoring
Institutions are directed to maintain existing minimum entry requirements, with all admissions processed strictly through CAPS. The government also announced a one-time retroactive condonement exercise to regularise NCE students admitted outside CAPS in Colleges of Education. The condonement exercise will run from June 1 to August 30, 2026, covering eligible students transitioning from Year One to Year Two, and Year Two to Year Three.
Warning Against Illegal Admissions
The Federal Government warned that admissions conducted outside CAPS will henceforth be considered illegal and void. Provosts, rectors, and principal officers of tertiary institutions are directed to stop issuing independent admission letters. Periodic monitoring and compliance checks will be carried out in collaboration with JAMB, the National Commission for Colleges of Education, the National Board for Technical Education, and other regulatory agencies to ensure full implementation of the policy.
In a related development, JAMB has praised the examination agency's strategic importance to Nigeria's admission system. In a statement on Sunday, May 10, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin said Nigeria's enrolment system would not have functioned effectively without the board.
