JAMB Explains New Colleges of Education Policy, Says It Will Boost Enrolment

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shed more light on its newly introduced admission policy for colleges of education, explaining that the decision is intended to revive declining enrolment and strengthen teacher education in Nigeria.

The board said the policy is a strategic response to years of low admission figures across many colleges of education, with several institutions reportedly unable to fill even a fifth of their available admission slots.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, JAMB's Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes will continue to register through JAMB. However, they may no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) because demand for the programmes remains significantly low.

"Candidates seeking admission into National Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes will still register with JAMB but may not need to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination because demand for the programmes is low."

Benjamin explained that the new policy is designed to encourage more students to embrace the NCE pathway while reinforcing the primary mandate of colleges of education, and training qualified teachers.

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Under the new arrangement, colleges of education will no longer admit students directly into degree programmes through affiliated universities. Instead, prospective students will begin with NCE studies before progressing seamlessly into degree programmes within the same institution, provided the college has secured the necessary approval and possesses the required academic and infrastructural capacity.

"The policy is designed to help colleges of education focus on training teachers through the NCE route before students continue directly to degree programmes."

He further noted that colleges have been allowed to upgrade their facilities, academic staff, and learning environment to enable them to award degrees independently, rather than relying on university affiliations.

"Colleges of education have been given the opportunity to improve their infrastructure, teaching staff and learning facilities so they can award degrees independently."

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According to Benjamin, the policy is part of a broader, long-term reform agreed upon by stakeholders in the education sector to reposition teacher education, improve the attractiveness of the teaching profession, and produce more qualified teachers for Nigeria's schools.

The clarification comes amid growing public interest in JAMB's recent policy changes affecting colleges of education and the future admission pathway for prospective NCE and education degree candidates.

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