ABUJA — In a historic policy shift that alters the landscape of tertiary education in Nigeria, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and non-engineering Agriculture courses will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The radical restructuring was officially disclosed during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja. For decades, the UTME has stood as the compulsory, uniform gatekeeper for any student seeking a spot in the nation's universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. This new directive dismantles that tradition for two critical, yet historically under-enrolled, sectors.
The Criteria for Exemption
Addressing the vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts gathered at the summit, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, clarified the exact academic requirements necessary to qualify for this newly created alternative pathway.
For candidates targeting the National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes at colleges of education, the entrance examination requirement is waived provided the applicant possesses a minimum of four O-level credit passes in relevant subjects.
Similarly, this waiver applies directly to candidates looking to enroll in National Diploma (ND) programmes at polytechnics, specifically for non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
"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," Alausa declared. "This exemption shall also extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses."
The Catch: Mandatory JAMB Registration and CAPS Screening
While the rigorous hurdle of writing the competitive examination has been removed, the federal government emphasized that this is not a backdoor for unregulated or illegal admissions.
Minister Alausa stressed that all exempted candidates must still register formally with JAMB. Institutions are strictly prohibited from conducting independent, off-record admissions. The screening, verification of O-level credentials, and eventual issuance of official admission letters must be processed transparently through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
"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, in accordance with extant regulations," the minister warned.
Reversing the Enrollment Slump in Vital Sectors
For years, courses within the faculties of Education and Agriculture have suffered from low student interest, routinely attracting significantly lower UTME cut-off marks compared to highly competitive disciplines like Medicine, Law, and Engineering.
By removing the pressure of the UTME, the federal government aims to aggressively widen access to higher education while breathing new life into teacher training and food security studies two sectors deemed foundational to national development.
Educational experts at the policy meeting lauded the strategy, noting that it strikes an effective balance between expanding campus admission rates and preserving system integrity through mandatory CAPS verification. The move is expected to immediately ease the annual logistical and emotional pressure associated with the UTME, while giving polytechnics and colleges of education the flexibility to fill vacant lecture theatres with qualified, vocation-driven students.
