JAMB Ends Admission Into Affiliated Degree Programmes In Colleges Of Education

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially ended admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by colleges of education, making the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) the only admission route into the institutions from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The decision was announced in JAMB’s newly released NCE/ND Agric Registration Guidelines issued by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026.

Under the new policy, the board stated that no admission would be granted into any affiliated degree programme in colleges of education beginning from the 2026/2027 academic session.

JAMB also prohibited direct admission into 100 and 200 levels in colleges of education, directing that all fresh entrants must now be admitted through the NCE programme.

The board stated, “With effect from the 2026/2027 session, no admission into 100 or 200 level is allowed into any college of education. All entrants are through NCE.”

The move brings to an end the long-standing arrangement that allowed colleges of education to offer degree programmes through affiliations with conventional universities.

The policy is expected to affect thousands of candidates who applied for degree programmes through affiliated colleges of education for the 2026 admission cycle.

To address the situation, JAMB provided options for affected Direct Entry candidates. Such candidates may apply for a free change of institution, transfer to the parent university affiliated with the degree programme, or allow their second-choice institution to become their first choice for admission processing.

Candidates seeking 100-level admission through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have also been given the option to change institutions, elevate their second-choice institution, or migrate to the NCE programme.

According to the board, candidates who choose the NCE option will be required to obtain an O-Level verification code from the relevant examination body and pay a registration fee of N700 on the JAMB portal.

JAMB further explained that candidates recommended for NCE admission would have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry admission process suspended.

The guidelines also introduced mandatory O-Level verification for all NCE applicants, with verification fees fixed at N1,500 for one sitting and N2,000 for two sittings.

The board directed colleges of education, institutional professional registration centres, accredited CBT centres, and JAMB officials nationwide to study the guidelines and ensure strict compliance.

JAMB noted that the reform is aimed at reinforcing the NCE as the foundational qualification for teacher education in Nigeria and strengthening the structure of teacher training institutions across the country.