RismadarVoice Reporters, June 21, 2026
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has abolished admissions into affiliated degree programmes offered by Colleges of Education across the country, making the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) the only entry pathway into the institutions from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The decision was announced in JAMB’s newly released NCE/ND Agric Registration Guidelines, issued by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026.
Under the new policy, no fresh admissions will be granted into degree programmes run by Colleges of Education in affiliation with universities.
JAMB stated that all candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education must now do so through the NCE programme, effectively ending decades of affiliated degree admissions within the institutions.
The Board further directed that admissions into 100 and 200 levels in Colleges of Education would no longer be permitted from the 2026/2027 academic session.
“With effect from the 2026/2027 session, no admission into 100 or 200 level is allowed into any College of Education. All entrants are through NCE,” the guidelines stated.
The policy marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s teacher education framework and is expected to affect thousands of candidates who had applied for degree programmes through affiliated Colleges of Education.
To address the transition, JAMB outlined several options for affected candidates.
Candidates who applied for degree programmes through Direct Entry in affiliated Colleges of Education may change their institution at no cost, transfer to the parent university overseeing the affiliated degree programme, or elevate their second-choice institution to first choice for admission consideration.
Similarly, candidates seeking admission through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have been given the option to switch institutions, upgrade their second-choice institution or migrate to the NCE programme.
According to JAMB, candidates who choose the NCE option will be required to obtain an O’Level verification code from the relevant examination body and pay a registration fee of ₦700 through the Board’s portal.
The Board noted that choosing an NCE programme would automatically suspend any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry admission process.
It also introduced mandatory O’Level verification for all NCE applicants, with verification fees fixed at ₦1,500 for one sitting and ₦2,000 for two sittings.
JAMB directed Colleges of Education, accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, Institutional Professional Registration Centres and Board officials to study the new guidelines and ensure strict compliance.
For many years, affiliated degree programmes enabled Colleges of Education to award bachelor’s degrees through partnerships with conventional universities, providing an alternative route to university education.
However, the new policy effectively brings that arrangement to an end for new admissions, reinforcing the NCE as the foundational qualification for teacher education in Nigeria.
