FG Exempts College of Education Applicants From Writing UTME

The Federal Government has reportedly exempted candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education for the National Certificate in Education (NCE) programme from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The announcement was shared via the National Orientation Agency (NOA) official X page, indicating a new policy direction affecting admissions into tertiary institutions under the College of Education category.

Under the new arrangement, candidates applying specifically for NCE programmes in Colleges of Education will no longer be required to sit for the UTME conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The development is expected to ease access to teacher education programmes and encourage more applicants into the education sector, which has faced declining enrolment in recent years.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which oversees UTME for university admissions, is expected to provide further clarification on how the policy will be implemented across institutions nationwide.

Education stakeholders say the move could help strengthen the teaching workforce pipeline, particularly at the basic education level, where trained teachers are in high demand.

However, details on implementation timelines and admission guidelines for Colleges of Education are still being awaited from relevant authorities.