JAMB ends direct degree admissions in colleges of education, makes NCE mandatory from 2026 - Businessday NG

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a major overhaul of the admission process into Colleges of Education across the country, ending direct admissions into degree programmes and making the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) the mandatory entry route for all candidates from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The new policy was contained in a circular signed by Is-haq Oloyede, registrar of JAMB, on Sunday, outlining comprehensive guidelines for NCE and National Diploma (ND) Agric-related non-technology programmes registration and admissions.

According to the Board, with effect from the 2026/2027 academic session, no candidate will be admitted directly into 100 or 200-level degree programmes in any College of Education.

The circular stated that all entrants into Colleges of Education must first enrol for the NCE programme, while admissions into affiliated degree programmes in Colleges of Education would also cease from the same session.

“NCE/ND AGRIC REGISTRATION GUIDELINES