The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has formally discontinued admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by Colleges of Education, in a major policy shift that restructures Nigeria’s teacher education pathway and makes the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) the sole entry qualification from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The decision is contained 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 into any affiliated programme in any College of Education” will be allowed from the 2026/2027 session.
It further ruled that admission into 100 and 200 levels in Colleges of Education is no longer permitted, adding that all fresh entrants must now begin at the NCE level.
“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 Board stated.
The development effectively ends affiliated degree programmes, which for years allowed Colleges of Education to award university degrees through partnerships with conventional universities.
The reform is expected to affect thousands of candidates who had applied for degree programmes through affiliated Colleges of Education for the 2026 admission cycle.
To reduce the impact, JAMB outlined options for affected candidates who had already selected affiliated Colleges of Education for degree admission via Direct Entry.
According to the Board, such candidates may apply for a free change of institution, transfer to the parent university affiliated with the programme, or allow their second-choice institution to become their first choice for processing.
“A candidate may choose to be moved to the parent university to which the degree programme is affiliated,” JAMB said.
The Board gave candidates up to June 22 to complete any desired changes.
For UTME candidates seeking admission into 100-level programmes in affiliated Colleges of Education, JAMB also provided three options: change institution, upgrade their second-choice institution to first choice, or migrate to the NCE programme.
Candidates who opt for the NCE route will be required to obtain an O’Level verification code from the relevant examination body and pay a ₦700 registration fee through the JAMB 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 explained.
JAMB added that candidates who select the NCE option and are recommended for admission will have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry admission processes suspended.
“Anyone who chooses NCE and is proposed or recommended will have any ongoing UTME/DE process suspended,” it stated.
For applicants who have already registered through the 2026 UTME, the Board said their details will be automatically migrated to their chosen first-choice College of Education or related ND Agric non-technology programmes where applicable.
The guidelines also introduce mandatory O’Level verification for all NCE applicants, with fees set at ₦1,500 for candidates with one sitting and ₦2,000 for two sittings.
JAMB urged Colleges of Education, Institutional Professional Registration Centres (IPRCs), accredited CBT centres, and its officers nationwide to study the guidelines and ensure strict compliance.
“All PRCs, IPRCs and officers of the Board are to study the guidelines and ensure strict compliance with the information contained therein,” the Registrar stated.
Affiliated degree programmes have long served as a bridge between Colleges of Education and universities, enabling students to earn bachelor’s degrees through partner institutions while studying in colleges of education.
However, the new policy effectively ends new admissions into the arrangement from the 2026/2027 academic session, reinforcing the NCE as the foundational qualification for teacher education in Nigeria.
