Starting from the 2026/2027 academic session, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has implemented strict changes for applicants entering Colleges of Education and agricultural National Diploma programs. An advisory released by the Office of the Registrar in June 2026 mandates that all new entrants to Colleges of Education must follow the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) admission route. Consequently, direct admissions into 100-level and 200-level degree programs are no longer permitted.
Fabian Benjamin, the Director of Communications at JAMB, confirmed that students can no longer pursue multiple admission paths simultaneously. Additionally, the board has prohibited admissions into affiliated programs at Colleges of Education beginning in the 2026/2027 academic year. Applicants using the NCE entry route must verify their O’Level results through WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, or NBAIS. This verification process costs N1,500 for a single sitting and N2,000 for two sittings.
To register, candidates are required to list Colleges of Education as their primary choices. Those who previously selected these institutions for the 2026 UTME will see their applications migrated automatically. JAMB has also outlined transition plans for students caught in previous, irregular admission cycles, allowing them to participate in a condonement process or transfer to parent universities. Registrar Professor Is-haq Oloyede noted that these policy updates are designed to standardize qualification verification and improve compliance with national admission protocols.
