The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially announced end admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by Colleges of Education, marking a major shift in Nigeria’s teacher education system and effectively making the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) the sole entry route into the institutions from the 2026/2027 academic session.
Penpushing reports that the decision was contained in the board’s newly released Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE)/National Diploma (ND) Agric Registration Guidelines issued by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) under the new policy, declared that no admission into any affiliated programme in any College of Education from 2026/7 session, and also ruled out direct admission into 100 and 200 levels in Colleges of Education, insisting that all fresh entrants must now come through the Nigeria College of Education (NCE) programme.
Penpushing further reports that the development signals the end of an era for affiliated degree programmes, which for decades enabled Colleges of Education to award university degrees through partnerships with conventional universities.
The reform is expected to affect thousands of candidates who applied for degree programmes through affiliated Colleges of Education for the 2026 admission cycle, and to cushion the impact, the board outlined options for candidates who had already selected affiliated Colleges of Education for degree programmes through Direct Entry.
Penpushing also reports that the board explained that affected candidates may apply for a change of institution at no cost, transfer to the parent university to which the degree programme is affiliated, or allow their second-choice institution to become their first choice for admission processing.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) added that candidates wishing to switch institutions had been given up to June 22, 2026 to complete the process, stating that in similar vein, candidates seeking 100-level admission into affiliated Colleges of Education through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) have been presented with three options: change institution, elevate their second-choice institution to first choice, or migrate to the Nigeria College of Education(NCE) programme.
Penpushing reports that the board said candidates who opt for the Nigeria College of Education (NCE) route would be required to obtain an O’Level verification code from the relevant examination body and pay only ₦700 as registration fee on the board 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 board stated.
Penpushing further reports that the guidelines stipulate that every application for Nigeria College of Education (NCE) admission is a deliberate choice and that candidates recommended for Nigeria Certificate of Education (NCE) admission would have any ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or Direct Entry admission process suspended.
The board stressed that for candidates who have already applied through the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) mode, their details would be automatically migrated to their chosen first-choice College of Education or Agric-related Non-Technology National Diploma (ND) programmes.
Penpushing also reports that the Board equally introduced mandatory O’Level verification for all National Certificate of Education (NCE) applicants, pegging the verification fee at ₦1,500 for one sitting and ₦2,000 for two sittings.
The board urged Colleges of Education, Institutional Professional Registration Centres, accredited CBT centres and its officials across the country to study the new guidelines and ensure strict compliance.
Penpushing further reports that Affiliated degree programmes have long served as a pathway for Colleges of Education to offer bachelor’s degrees in partnership with universities, allowing students to earn university degrees while studying in Colleges of Education.
Meanwhile, the board’s new policy effectively ends that arrangement for new admissions from the 2026/2027 academic session, reinforcing the Nigeria College of Education (NCE) as the foundational qualification for teacher education in Nigeria.
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