The Federal Government has exempted candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education from sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), in a major policy shift aimed at widening access to teacher education.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the decision on Monday in Abuja during the admission policy meeting for the 2026 UTME cycle.
According to him, prospective candidates with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects will now be eligible to apply directly to Colleges of Education without writing the UTME.
He explained that while the UTME requirement has been waived for this category, all applicants must still register with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
Alausa added that submitted credentials will undergo thorough screening, verification, and certification, after which qualified candidates will be issued admission letters through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), in line with existing regulations.
The minister stated that the new policy will take effect from next year.
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Boluwatife Enome
