The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has abolished admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by Colleges of Education, in a sweeping reform that will take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The decision, contained in the Board’s newly issued NCE/ND Agric Registration Guidelines released in June 2026, effectively ends decades-long partnerships that allowed Colleges of Education to award university degrees through affiliations.
Under the new policy, JAMB declared that no candidate would be admitted into any affiliated degree programme in Colleges of Education from the 2026/2027 session.
The Board also ruled out direct admission into 100 and 200 levels in the institutions, insisting that all prospective students must now enter strictly through the Nigeria Certificate in Education pathway.
“With effect from 2026/7 Session, no admission into 100 or 200 Level is allowed into any College of Education. All entrants are through NCE,” the guidelines stated.
The move signals a major shift in Nigeria’s teacher education structure, positioning the NCE as the sole foundational qualification for candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education nationwide.
The development is expected to affect thousands of candidates who had applied for degree programmes through affiliated Colleges of Education in the ongoing 2026 admission cycle.
To mitigate the impact, JAMB outlined options for affected candidates, particularly those who applied through Direct Entry. Such candidates may opt to change their institution at no cost, transfer to the parent university overseeing the affiliated programme, or elevate their second-choice institution to first choice.
“A candidate may choose to be moved to the parent university to which the Degree programme is affiliated,” the Board said.
The Board fixed June 22 as the deadline for candidates wishing to effect such changes.
Similarly, candidates who applied for 100-level admission into affiliated Colleges of Education through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination have been given three options: switch institutions, upgrade their second-choice institution, or migrate to the NCE programme.
JAMB explained that candidates choosing the NCE route would be required to obtain an O’Level verification code from the appropriate examination body and pay a registration fee of ₦700 on its 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,” it stated.
The Board added that any candidate who opts for the NCE programme and is subsequently recommended for admission would have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry admission process suspended.
It further disclosed that candidates who had already applied through the 2026 UTME would have their details automatically migrated to their selected first-choice Colleges of Education or Agric-related non-technology National Diploma programmes.
As part of the new requirements, JAMB introduced compulsory O’Level verification for all NCE applicants, pegging the fee at ₦1,500 for one sitting and ₦2,000 for two sittings.
The Board urged Colleges of Education, Professional Registration Centres, accredited Computer-Based Test centres, and its officials nationwide to study the guidelines and ensure strict compliance.
The policy marks a definitive end to affiliated degree programmes in Colleges of Education for new admissions, reinforcing the NCE as the minimum entry qualification for teacher training in Nigeria.
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