FG announces UTME exemption for NCE candidates and doubled admissions for other applicants.

Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the federal government’s decision to exempt colleges of education and non‑technology agricultural programmes in polytechnics and monotechnics from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is expected to raise tertiary admissions to roughly 1.5 million.

Alausa made the statement on Tuesday while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

He explained that the reform could almost double the number of admissions recorded two years ago, thereby expanding opportunities for young Nigerians seeking tertiary education.

“Guess what, this year alone, with the changes we are making through eliminating UTME requirements for colleges of education and UTME requirements for non-technology agricultural courses in our polytechnics and monotechnics, would increase the number of people being admitted throughout tertiary institutions to about 1.5 million,” he said.

“That is literally doubling it from two years ago. This has created opportunities for young Nigerians.”

The minister added that the exemption policy was introduced partly to support Nigeria’s food‑security agenda by encouraging more students to pursue agriculture‑related courses.

“The exemptions are for people going into colleges of education and people going to monotechnics or polytechnics to study non-technology agriculture courses, and there is a reason for that. We need that to help food security in our country,” he said.

Alausa also disclosed that the ministry is conducting a comprehensive review and modernisation of agricultural curricula across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

He said the curriculum review aims to align agricultural education with contemporary practices and innovations, such as greenhouse farming and other sector developments.

“Hopefully by the end of this year, we will have a brand new agriculture curriculum that meets modern‑day standards,” he added.

The minister first announced the UTME exemption policy on Monday during the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board 2026 policy meeting in Abuja.

Under the new guidelines, candidates seeking admission to colleges of education and non‑technology agricultural programmes will need only a minimum of four O‑level credits.

Various stakeholders, including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), have expressed concerns about the decision.

According to NUT president Titus Amba, improper implementation could weaken the quality of teacher training and undermine professionalism in the teaching profession.

Speaking at the 21st Century Teachers Workshop, organised in collaboration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) in Abuja, Amba said, “When you announce that you’ve given a waiver to students going to colleges of education, it gives the man walking on the street a different thinking of the seriousness that is attached to producing credible teachers.”

“We felt a bit worried because policies affecting institutions that produce teachers for future generations must be carefully considered,” he said.

Amba warned that removing the UTME requirement might send the wrong signal about the seriousness of producing qualified teachers.

He stressed that teaching should not be treated as a profession open to anyone without rigorous training and proper screening processes.

“Today, we are in a situation where people who have graduated from university without any idea of the teaching profession go out there because of lack of jobs.

“They go there and pick a teaching job. A teaching job shouldn’t be seen like that. A teaching job should go beyond that.

“When admission into colleges of education is granted without standard entry evaluation, the public may begin to question the credibility of teachers being produced,” he said.

The post UTME exemption for NCE candidates, others will double tertiary admissions — FG appeared first on Vanguard News.