The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially opened registration for candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes and non-technological agricultural National Diploma (ND) courses, with applicants no longer required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The announcement was made on Thursday by JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, who said the new registration process follows the Federal Government’s decision to remove the UTME requirement for admission into these programmes.
According to him, candidates who possess the required O’Level credits can register by visiting any Institutional Professional Registration Centre (IPRC) located in colleges of education or any JAMB Professional Registration Centre (PRC) across the country.
“Eligible candidates only need to visit any designated IPRC or JAMB PRC with their O’Level credentials to complete their registration. There is no requirement to sit for the annual UTME,” Benjamin said.
He encouraged qualified candidates to take advantage of the opportunity by completing their registration as soon as possible.
JAMB also disclosed that candidates who already sat for the 2026 UTME but have now decided to study NCE or non-technological agricultural programmes can convert their applications at any designated registration centre at no extra cost.
According to the board, the new admission process was designed to ensure that only qualified candidates are admitted while maintaining the quality and standards of the programmes.
The policy is expected to expand access to teacher education and agriculture-related courses without compromising academic standards.
Background
In May 2026, the Federal Government announced that candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education would no longer be required to write the UTME.
Speaking during the 2026 UTME Admission Policy Meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said candidates with at least four credit passes in relevant O’Level subjects would be eligible to apply directly to colleges of education.
He explained that although UTME would no longer be required, applicants must still register with JAMB for their credentials to be screened, verified and processed through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) before admission letters are issued.
The minister also confirmed that the exemption applies to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma (ND) programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
However, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) expressed concerns over the policy, warning that poor implementation could weaken the quality of teacher training and affect professionalism in the education sector.
