How to apply for education, agric courses exempted from UTME

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The Federal Government has released guidelines for candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education and non-technology agriculture programmes in polytechnics and colleges of agriculture.

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This follows the abolition of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination requirement for the courses on Monday.

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The Ministry of Education, in a statement issued on Tuesday evening by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, explained that the approval followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on April 30, 2026.

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It said the policy is part of efforts to address restrictive admission processes blamed for increasing numbers of out-of-school adolescents, limited access to tertiary education, and low enrolment in teacher education and agricultural programmes.

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Accordingly, it stated that candidates seeking admission into Nigerian Certificate in Education programmes and National Diploma non-technology agriculture and agriculture-related courses would no longer be required to sit for UTME before gaining admission.

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Guideline for Registration

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Providing guidelines for onward registration, the ministry, however, clarified that “all prospective candidates will still be required to obtain the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board application form and process their admissions through the JAMB platform (CAPS).”

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It added, “all admissions shall be conducted strictly through the JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS), while existing minimum admission requirements remain unchanged.”

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The new guidelines further provide that “all applicants must upload their O’Level results on the JAMB portal as part of the admission process. Consequently, all admission letters for the affected programmes shall continue to be issued exclusively by JAMB upon due verification and compliance with prescribed admission requirements.”

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Registration Process

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Explaining the registration process, the ministry said candidates applying for NCE programmes are to apply through JAMB without sitting for UTME, while JAMB and Colleges of Education would coordinate registration from the 2026/2027 academic session.

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Similarly, candidates seeking admission into ND non-technology agriculture and agriculture-related programmes in polytechnics and colleges of agriculture are expected to apply through JAMB without taking UTME.

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The ministry stated that JAMB, polytechnics, and colleges of agriculture would oversee registration for the programmes.

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Admission Procedures

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On admission procedures, the government directed institutions to maintain existing minimum entry requirements for all affected courses, adding that all admissions must continue to be processed strictly through the CAPS platform.

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The statement also announced a one-time retroactive condonement exercise to officially recognise and regularise NCE students admitted outside CAPS in Colleges of Education.

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It explained, “As part of measures to address previous admissions conducted outside CAPS by Colleges of Education, Government has also approved a one-time retroactive condonement exercise for only NCE students admitted into NCE programmes in Colleges of Education for both Years I & II at the 2025/2026 session.

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“The condonement exercise will take place from 1st June to 30th August, 2026 and will cover eligible students transitioning from Year One to Year Two, as well as those moving from Year Two to Year Three at the end of 2025/2026 session.

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“All affected Colleges of Education are required to upload details of eligible students admitted outside CAPS within the stipulated period to ensure proper documentation on the JAMB platform.”

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The federal government warned that admissions conducted outside CAPS would henceforth be regarded as illegal and void.

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It also directed provosts, rectors, and principal officers of tertiary institutions to stop issuing independent admission letters to prospective students.

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The ministry added that periodic monitoring and compliance exercises would be carried out in collaboration with JAMB, the National Commission for Colleges of Education, the National Board for Technical Education, and other regulatory agencies to ensure full implementation of the policy.

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