JAMB Ends Admissions Into Affiliated Degree Programmes in Colleges of Education
By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the termination of admissions into affiliated degree programmes offered by colleges of education across the country.
The decision appeared in new registration guidelines released for Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and agriculture-related National Diploma (ND) programmes by the office of the JAMB registrar.
Under the new policy, admissions into affiliated degree programmes in colleges of education will no longer take place from the 2026/2027 academic session.
JAMB also stopped direct admission into 100 and 200 levels in colleges of education. The board stated that all candidates seeking admission into such institutions must now enter through the NCE route.
“With effect from the 2026/2027 session, no admission into the 100 or 200 level is allowed into any college of education. All entrants are through NCE,” the policy document reads.
The examination body, however, introduced measures for candidates who had earlier selected affiliated colleges of education for degree programmes through Direct Entry.
According to the board, affected candidates may change institutions without payment or transfer to the parent universities affiliated with the degree programmes.
JAMB added that candidates may also upgrade their second-choice institutions to first choice for admission processing. The board directed those interested in changing institutions to complete the process before June 22.
“A candidate may choose to be moved to the parent university to which the degree programme is affiliated,” the board noted.
The board also listed three options for candidates seeking 100-level admission into affiliated colleges of education through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The candidates may change institutions, promote their second-choice institutions to first choice, or move to the NCE programme.
JAMB explained that candidates who choose the NCE option must obtain an O’ level verification code from the appropriate examination body and pay a registration fee of N700 on the board’s 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,” JAMB said.
The board further stated that any candidate who accepts the NCE option and receives admission recommendation will have any existing UTME or Direct Entry admission process suspended.
“Anyone who chooses NCE and is proposed/recommended would have any ongoing UTME/DE process suspended,” the board said.
JAMB disclosed that details of candidates who had already applied for changes of institution through the 2026 UTME would automatically move to their preferred first-choice colleges of education or agriculture-related non-technology ND programmes.
The board also introduced compulsory O’ level verification for all NCE applicants. It fixed the fee at N1,500 for one sitting and N2,000 for two sittings.
Earlier in March, the Federal Government exempted candidates seeking admission into colleges of education from writing the UTME.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, had said candidates with four credit passes in relevant subjects could apply to colleges of education without sitting for the examination.