By: Deborah Idowu
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and agriculture-related non-engineering courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The development was disclosed on Monday during the ongoing 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Abuja.
In a tweet shared via its official X handle, JAMB stated that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and agriculture-related non-engineering courses are now exempted from the UTME requirement.
Speaking at the policy meeting, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, explained that candidates applying for National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes with a minimum of four credit passes would no longer be required to sit for the examination.
According to him, “Candidates seeking admission into the NCE programme, who possess a minimum of four credit passes, will no longer be required to sit for the UTME.”
The minister, however, clarified that candidates must still register with JAMB for proper admission processing and verification through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
“However, it is imperative to emphasise that such candidates shall mandatorily register with JAMB, and their credentials shall be duly screened, verified, and certified for the issuance of admission letters through CAPS, in accordance with extant regulations,” he stated.
Alausa further noted that the exemption also applies to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses.
“This exemption shall extend to candidates seeking admission into National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses,” the minister added.
Credit: Punch
