JAMB Drops UTME Requirement for Colleges of Education, Agriculture Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has officially dropped the UTME requirement for candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education for the Nigeria Certificate in Education programme.

Education Minister Tunji Alausa announced the policy shift on Monday at the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja. Under the new arrangement, students with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects can now apply directly to Colleges of Education without sitting for UTME.

Candidates still must register with JAMB, and their credentials will go through the Central Admissions Processing System for verification before admission letters are issued. The minister made it clear that any admission processed outside CAPS remains illegal and will attract sanctions.

The exemption also covers National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural courses. Alausa described both teacher education and agriculture as critical sectors that need more enrolment to drive national development.

This addresses a long-standing complaint from education stakeholders who argued that UTME created unnecessary bottlenecks for teacher training candidates. The policy takes effect from the next admission cycle.

Alausa warned institutions against illegal admissions and reiterated that the minimum age for tertiary institution admission remains 16 years. He also commended JAMB’s efforts to support persons living with disabilities through fee waivers and other measures.

Sources: ThisDay, Premium Times, The Nation, Daily Trust, The Sun