The Federal Government has announced that candidates seeking admission into Federal Colleges of Education will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), in a major policy shift aimed at widening access to teacher education and other critical fields.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed the decision on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) held in Abuja.
Alausa explained that the exemption from UTME has also been extended to candidates applying for National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes, as well as selected courses in technology, agriculture, and related disciplines across approved institutions.
According to him, the reform is designed to ease the admission process and encourage greater enrolment into key areas of national development, particularly teacher training and vocational education.
He, however, stressed that prospective candidates must still possess the required O’Level qualifications and undergo proper screening by JAMB to ensure accurate documentation and compliance with admission standards.
The Minister added that while the UTME requirement has been waived for the affected categories, admission processes will remain structured and merit-driven to safeguard academic quality.
More details are expected to be released as the policy framework is fully implemented.