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 significant reform that is expected to reshape the country’s teacher education system.
Under the new policy, which takes effect from the 2026/2027 academic session, the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) will become the only entry pathway into Colleges of Education, effectively bringing to an end the long-standing practice of admitting students directly into university degree programmes operated through affiliations with conventional universities.
The decision was contained in JAMB’s newly released NCE/ND Agric Registration Guidelines, issued by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026.
According to the guidelines, no new admissions will be permitted into any affiliated degree programme in Colleges of Education beginning with the 2026/2027 academic session.
The Board stated unequivocally: “No admission into any affiliated programme in any College of Education from the 2026/2027 Session.”
JAMB also announced that direct admission into 100 and 200 levels in Colleges of Education has been abolished. Instead, all prospective students seeking admission into these institutions must first enrol in the Nigeria Certificate in Education programme.
“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 Board declared.
The development marks a major policy shift in Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape. For decades, Colleges of Education have operated affiliated degree programmes in partnership with universities, allowing students to obtain bachelor’s degrees while studying at the colleges. The arrangement served as an alternative route for candidates seeking university qualifications, particularly in education-related disciplines.
The new directive effectively ends fresh admissions into such programmes and reinforces the NCE as the foundational qualification for teacher education in Nigeria.
The policy is expected to affect thousands of candidates who had already applied for affiliated degree programmes through Colleges of Education for the 2026 admission exercise.
To minimise disruptions for affected applicants, JAMB outlined several alternatives available to candidates who had selected affiliated Colleges of Education for degree programmes through the Direct Entry admission process.
According to the Board, such candidates may apply for a change of institution without paying any additional fee, transfer their applications to the parent universities overseeing the affiliated degree programmes, or allow their second-choice institutions to become their first-choice institutions for admission processing.
“A candidate may choose to be moved to the parent university to which the Degree programme is affiliated,” JAMB explained in the guidelines.
The Board further announced that candidates wishing to change institutions had been given until June 22 to complete the process.
Similarly, candidates who applied through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for admission into 100-level affiliated degree programmes in Colleges of Education have also been provided with multiple options.
They may change to another institution, promote their second-choice institution to first choice, or migrate from the degree programme to the NCE programme within their chosen College of Education.
JAMB noted that candidates who decide to pursue the NCE option would be required to obtain an O’Level verification code from the appropriate examination body before completing the transition.
The Board added that such candidates would only be required to pay a registration fee of ₦700 through the JAMB portal.
“The candidate may be moved to the NCE programme of the institution, on the understanding that the choice of the College of Education indicates an interest in pursuing the NCE qualification,” the guidelines stated.
JAMB emphasized that admission into the NCE programme would now be regarded as a deliberate educational choice rather than an alternative placement.
The Board also warned that candidates who accept NCE admission would automatically have any existing admission process under the UTME or Direct Entry platforms suspended.
“Anyone who chooses NCE and is proposed or recommended would have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry process suspended,” the Board explained.
In addition, JAMB disclosed that candidates who had already registered through the 2026 UTME process would have their application details automatically migrated to their selected first-choice Colleges of Education or Agric-related National Diploma (ND) programmes in non-technology institutions, where applicable.
As part of the reforms, the Board introduced compulsory O’Level verification for all applicants seeking admission into NCE programmes.
According to the guidelines, candidates who sat for their O’Level examinations in a single sitting will pay a verification fee of ₦1,500, while those presenting results from two sittings will pay ₦2,000.
JAMB explained that the verification process is intended to strengthen the integrity of admissions and ensure that all academic credentials presented by applicants are properly authenticated before admission is granted.
The Board also directed Colleges of Education, Institutional Professional Registration Centres (IPRCs), accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres, Professional Registration Centres (PRCs), and JAMB officials nationwide to study the new guidelines carefully and ensure strict compliance.
“All PRCs, IPRCs and Officers of the Board are to study the guidelines and ensure strict compliance with the information contained therein,” the Registrar stated.
Education stakeholders believe the policy represents one of the most significant reforms in Nigeria’s teacher education system in recent years.
Affiliated degree programmes have historically enabled Colleges of Education to expand access to university education through partnerships with established universities. Students enrolled in such programmes earned bachelor’s degrees issued by the parent universities while receiving instruction at the Colleges of Education.
The new policy, however, reinforces the Federal Government’s objective of restoring the Nigeria Certificate in Education as the primary professional qualification for teacher training before candidates proceed to degree-level studies.
Analysts say the reform may strengthen the quality and professional identity of teacher education by ensuring that prospective educators first acquire foundational pedagogical training through the NCE programme.
However, some observers believe the transition may initially create uncertainty for prospective students and institutions that have relied heavily on affiliated degree programmes for enrolment and revenue generation.
Despite these concerns, JAMB maintains that the new framework is designed to streamline admissions, improve the quality of teacher education, and establish a more structured pathway for academic progression within Colleges of Education.
With the implementation of the new guidelines, the era of fresh admissions into affiliated degree programmes in Nigerian Colleges of Education has officially come to an end, ushering in a new phase in the country’s educational policy aimed at strengthening the training and professional development of future teachers.
