The Nigerian government has announced that candidates seeking admission into education-related courses and non-engineering agriculture programmes will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The new policy, which will take effect from the 2026/2027 admission cycle, was unveiled on Monday during the annual admission policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in Abuja. The meeting traditionally sets admission guidelines and procedures for tertiary institutions across the country.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said candidates with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects would be eligible to apply for admission into Colleges of Education without writing the UTME. However, affected applicants will still be required to register with JAMB for documentation and admission processing.
According to the minister, candidates’ academic credentials will undergo screening, verification and certification before admission letters are issued through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), in line with existing admission regulations.
JAMB also confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official X handle, describing the move as one of the broadest admission waivers introduced in recent years. The policy is expected to reshape admission processes for education and agriculture programmes while creating alternative pathways into tertiary education.