JAMB opens registration for NCE, agricultural ND applicants exempted from UTME
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has commenced the registration of candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes in Colleges of Education and non-technological National Diploma (ND) programmes in agriculture-related courses without requiring them to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The development follows the Federal Government’s policy exempting applicants into these programmes from writing the UTME as part of efforts to improve access to teacher education and agriculture-related studies.
In a statement issued on Thursday, JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, said candidates who possess the required O’Level qualifications can complete their registration at any Institutional Professional Registration Centre (IPRC) located in Colleges of Education or at any JAMB Professional Registration Centre (PRC) nationwide.
He explained that the board has established an admission process that ensures only qualified candidates gain admission while maintaining the quality and standards of the affected programmes. “Under this policy, 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.
Benjamin encouraged qualified candidates to take advantage of the opportunity by registering at the approved centres nationwide.
He further disclosed that candidates who had already written the 2026 UTME but later opted to pursue NCE or non-technological agricultural programmes could convert their applications at any designated registration centre without paying any additional fee.
According to him, the policy is intended to expand access to teacher education and agriculture-related programmes while ensuring that academic standards are upheld.
The Federal Government announced the policy in May during the 2026 admission policy meeting held in Abuja.
Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said candidates with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects would be eligible to apply for admission into Colleges of Education without sitting for the UTME.
He, however, noted that such candidates would still be required to register with JAMB for the screening, verification and certification of their credentials before admission letters are issued through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
The minister also confirmed that the exemption applies to applicants seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses, describing the move as part of efforts to increase enrolment in the affected programmes.
Despite the government’s position, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed reservations about the policy, cautioning that poor implementation could undermine the quality of teacher education and professionalism within the teaching profession.
