A major shift has been introduced into Nigeria’s tertiary admission process as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and agriculture-related non-engineering courses in colleges of education and polytechnics will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The decision was disclosed during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions held in Abuja, where the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, confirmed that candidates applying for National Certificate in Education programmes with a minimum of four credit passes would be exempted from UTME.
“Candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME,” he said.
The exemption, however, does not remove candidates from the central admission process. The minister stressed that applicants must still register with JAMB, after which their credentials will be screened, verified and processed through CAPS for admission.
The policy also extends to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses, widening its scope beyond teacher education.
Officials say the move is designed to expand access to tertiary education while maintaining regulatory oversight, particularly in fields considered critical to national development.
By removing the UTME barrier for these categories, the government is effectively creating an alternative pathway into colleges of education and polytechnics—institutions that have, in recent years, struggled with declining enrolment in Education and Agriculture programmes.
The UTME has long functioned as the central screening mechanism for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions. Its removal for selected courses signals a recalibration of admission strategy, especially for disciplines that are less competitive compared to courses such as Medicine, Law and Engineering.
The annual policy meeting, convened by JAMB, also serves as the platform for setting admission guidelines, including cut-off marks and regulatory procedures for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
With this adjustment, the admission landscape is set to evolve, offering candidates more flexible entry routes while retaining centralised oversight through CAPS.
Credit: ThePunch
[6:20 AM, 5/11/2026] Lateef Adepoju:
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