Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced a landmark policy change on Monday that will see candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture-related non‑engineering courses no longer required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The decision, unveiled during the board’s annual policy meeting at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja, represents one of the most sweeping UTME exemptions in JAMB’s history.
JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, explained that the exemption is designed to make the courses more attractive to prospective candidates following years of dwindling interest. “Education and Agriculture are vital to national development but have continued to suffer low enrolment despite increasing demand for skilled professionals,” Oloyede told stakeholders at the meeting. He emphasised that the policy forms part of broader reforms to reposition Nigeria’s education and agricultural systems, adding that stakeholders at the meeting praised the decision as a strategic intervention that could revive interest in teacher training and agricultural studies.
Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, who also addressed the meeting, clarified that the waiver specifically applies to candidates pursuing the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) at Colleges of Education, degree students in education‑related fields, and agriculture students in non‑engineering areas such as Soil Science, Crop Production, and Animal Husbandry. The minister noted that the gesture is also extended to candidates seeking programmes in technology and related courses, and is aimed at easing access to critical education and skills‑based programmes.
To qualify for admission under this new waiver, candidates must possess O’Level Credits with at least four to five credit passes in core subjects including English Language and Mathematics from WAEC, NECO, or NABTEB. They will still be required to register with JAMB to create a profile and obtain a unique identification number. Their credentials will then undergo screening, verification and certification through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) before admission letters are issued. “The examination requirement has been removed for these categories, but academic standards will still be maintained,” Alausa said.
The Minister of Education announced that candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme with a minimum of four credit passes will no longer be required to sit for the UTME. The minister said the move was designed to widen access to higher education, reduce the pressure associated with the UTME and encourage greater enrolment into teacher education and agricultural programmes considered critical to national development.
The policy will fully take effect for the 2026/2027 academic session. Students who have already registered for the 2026 UTME and are applying for these courses have been advised to await further instructions from JAMB on how to update their applications on the CAPS platform. As of press time, JAMB had yet to provide comprehensive details on the new admission framework for the affected programmes, but the board assured that further clarifications would be issued at the end of its policy meeting.
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