𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝘁 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿. 𝗨𝗧𝗠𝗘 𝗡𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀---𝗙𝗚

𝗕𝗬 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘,

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚, 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚.

The Federal Government has announced that candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education across the country will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday during the admission policy meeting for the 2026 UTME held in Abuja.

According to the minister, candidates who possess at least four credit passes in relevant subjects can now apply directly to Colleges of Education without writing the UTME.

He, however, explained that such candidates must still register with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), after which their credentials would be screened, verified, and processed through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) before admission letters are issued.

Alausa stated that the new policy will take effect from next year. The minister said the decision was informed by evidence showing that Colleges of Education still have the capacity to admit more candidates, especially from their host communities.

“Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, there is compelling evidence, including empirical data from JAMB, that Colleges of Education possess significant capacity to admit willing candidates, particularly from their immediate localities,” he said.

He added that factors such as affordability, proximity, cultural alignment, and community demand for teacher education have continued to make the institutions attractive to prospective students.

According to him, the policy is aimed at expanding access to tertiary education, reducing the number of out-of-school adolescents, and encouraging more young Nigerians to embrace the teaching profession.