NUT rejectsfederal government's UTME waiver for NCE admission

By Joseph Erunke

Abuja—The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has strongly opposed the Federal Government’s decision to waive the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for candidates seeking admission to the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme. The union warned that the policy could further erode standards within the teaching profession.

National President of the NUT, Audu Amba, articulated the union’s stance at a sensitisation workshop for teachers organized by 21st Century in partnership with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) in Abuja yesterday.

Amba expressed concern over the declining quality of applicants to colleges of education, noting that many of the nation’s top students now prefer universities and other tertiary institutions, leaving NCE programmes as a fallback for those who do not secure university places.

He described this trend as hazardous to the future of education in Nigeria and insisted that teacher‑training programmes should attract the country’s highest‑performing students.

According to Amba, colleges of education should admit candidates with the highest UTME scores rather than becoming institutions for students who were unable to gain admission elsewhere.

“Why can’t we now say that anyone going to College of Education to become a teacher tomorrow must be among the highest-scoring candidates in UTME?

“Colleges of Education are supposed to have the best candidates, but unfortunately, when people fail to secure university admission, they are told to go and manage NCE,” Amba said.

In her keynote address, the Registrar of TRCN, Dr Ronke Soyombo, highlighted the urgent need to prepare teachers for the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy. She asserted that the future of Nigeria’s education system depends largely on teachers who are technologically adept, innovative, professionally competent, and capable of equipping students with modern skills.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, represented at the event by Dr Iyabo Ali, called for continuous capacity building for teachers, emphasizing that educators must regularly upgrade their digital and innovative competencies to meet global education standards.

Other participants, including Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas (represented by Dr Mary Aba), and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, urged stronger collaboration and a firm commitment to professional excellence in the education sector.

Senator Moro, however, raised concerns about the deteriorating condition of Nigeria’s education system, noting that more than 70 percent of schools nationwide lack a conducive teaching and learning environment. He warned that the widening gap between teachers and their working conditions poses a serious threat to the nation’s educational foundation and future development.

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