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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses in Colleges of Education and Polytechnics will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The major policy shift was unveiled on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions held in Abuja. 
According to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, candidates applying for National Certificate in Education programmes who possess at least four credit passes in relevant subjects can now gain admission without writing UTME. The exemption was also extended to National Diploma programmes in non-technology agricultural and agriculture-related courses as part of efforts to increase enrolment in sectors considered critical to national development. 
Despite the exemption, affected candidates will still be required to register with JAMB for documentation and admission processing through the Central Admissions Processing System. Authorities explained that applicants’ credentials would still undergo screening, verification, and certification before admission letters are issued in line with existing regulations. 
Education-related courses reportedly covered by the exemption include programmes such as Adult Education, Business Education, Guidance and Counselling, Special Education, Educational Management, and several Education combinations in sciences, arts, and social sciences. Agriculture-related courses affected include Agriculture, Animal Science, Crop Science, Fisheries, Forestry, Agronomy, Horticulture, and Agricultural Economics, excluding engineering-based agricultural programmes. 
Officials said the reform is designed to widen access to tertiary education, reduce pressure associated with UTME, and encourage more students to pursue careers in teaching and agriculture, two sectors that have experienced declining enrolment in recent years. The announcement marks one of the most significant changes to Nigeria’s tertiary admission process in recent times. 
