RismadarVoice Reporters
November 7, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria has cancelled all admissions into the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, for the 2026 academic session over violations of regulatory requirements.
The Federal Ministry of Education also directed the institute to discontinue its university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, declaring that it lacked the authorisation required to award NCE certificates and university degrees under the existing framework.
The directive was announced on Saturday in a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo.
According to the ministry, the cancellation affects full-time, part-time and Distance Learning Studies programmes.
Prospective students and parents were consequently warned against applying for admission, accepting offers or making payments for the affected programmes.
The ministry explained that the decision followed violations of the Ministerial Operational Guidelines issued on September 12, 2025.
It stressed that NCE admissions must comply with Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board requirements and accreditation standards established by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
The National Universities Commission was also directed to notify affected universities and ensure compliance with the discontinuation of NTI’s degree-awarding arrangements.
However, the government clarified that the directive would not automatically prevent students already enrolled from completing their studies.
To protect existing students, the NCCE will conduct a comprehensive accreditation exercise covering NCE II–IV distance-learning programmes and study centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Students found eligible may complete their programmes, subject to the accreditation outcomes and applicable regulatory requirements.
The ministry further explained that NTI’s statutory responsibilities remain focused on teacher training, retraining, in-service development and continuous professional development.
These responsibilities include pedagogical capacity-building and a three-to-six-month Special Abridged Programme for serving teachers who possess degrees outside education.
The programme is designed to equip such teachers with the professional competencies required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
The ministry maintained that the intervention was necessary to protect students, uphold academic standards and prevent further enrolment in unauthorised programmes.
It urged prospective applicants to verify the accreditation and admission status of academic programmes through relevant regulatory authorities before making financial commitments.
The directive does not amount to the closure of NTI, as the institute is expected to continue carrying out its authorised teacher-development responsibilities.
