BREAKING: JAMB ENDS DEGREE ADMISSIONS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, MAKES NCE MANDATORY FROM 2026

JAMB ENDS DEGREE ADMISSIONS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION, MAKES NCE MANDATORY FROM 2026

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the discontinuation of admissions into affiliated degree programmes offered by Colleges of Education across Nigeria, introducing a major policy shift that makes the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) the only admission route into such institutions beginning from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The decision was contained in the newly released NCE and National Diploma (ND Agric) Registration Guidelines issued by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026.

Under the new directive, JAMB stated that admissions into degree programmes operated by Colleges of Education through affiliations with universities will no longer be permitted from the upcoming academic session.

According to the Board, “No admission into any affiliated programme in any College of Education from 2026/2027 session.”

The examination body further announced that direct admission into 100-level and 200-level programmes in Colleges of Education has also been discontinued, making the NCE programme compulsory for all new entrants.

JAMB explained that from the 2026/2027 session onward, candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education must now enter strictly through the NCE pathway.

The policy effectively ends a long-standing arrangement that allowed Colleges of Education to award university degrees through academic partnerships with conventional universities, a system that has existed for decades within Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.

The latest reform is expected to affect thousands of admission seekers who had already applied for degree programmes through affiliated Colleges of Education for the ongoing 2026 admission exercise.

To address the transition, JAMB outlined several options for affected candidates who had selected affiliated Colleges of Education under the Direct Entry admission process.

According to the Board, affected applicants can change their institutions without additional charges, transfer their admission preference to the parent university affiliated with the programme, or allow their second-choice institution to become their new first choice for admission processing.

JAMB added that candidates seeking 100-level admission into affiliated Colleges of Education through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) also have similar options, including switching institutions, upgrading their second-choice institution, or migrating to the NCE programme.

For candidates willing to migrate to the NCE route, the Board stated that applicants would be required to obtain an O’Level verification code from the relevant examination body and pay a ₦700 registration fee through the JAMB portal.

JAMB noted that candidates who choose the NCE option and are recommended for admission will automatically have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry admission process suspended.

The Board 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.

Additionally, candidates who have already applied through the 2026 UTME process will have their details automatically migrated to their selected first-choice College of Education or approved agriculture-related non-technology ND programmes where applicable.

JAMB has directed Colleges of Education, Institutional Professional Registration Centres (IPRCs), accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, and board officials nationwide to study the updated guidelines and ensure full compliance with the new admission policy.

The latest development marks one of the biggest recent reforms in Nigeria’s teacher education system and is expected to significantly reshape admission processes into Colleges of Education nationwide.