Candidates seeking NCE, Education and Agriculture programmes can now be admitted without a UTME score under a revised policy.
A revised admission policy will allow candidates seeking the Nigeria Certificate in Education and selected Education and Agriculture programmes to be admitted without sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The change was announced as part of efforts to reverse years of low enrolment in those fields.
Under the new arrangement, colleges of education and faculties offering the affected programmes may admit candidates on the strength of their O'level results and an institutional screening, rather than requiring a UTME score. The policy is aimed squarely at teacher-training and agriculture courses, where enrolment has fallen well short of national targets.
Officials explained that the country faces a shortage of qualified teachers and agricultural specialists, and that the UTME requirement had become a barrier for otherwise willing candidates. By removing that barrier for these specific programmes, the authorities hope to widen the pool of applicants.
The policy does not extend to mainstream degree programmes at universities. Medicine, Law, Engineering, the sciences and the social sciences continue to require a valid UTME score and remain subject to institutional cut-off marks and post-UTME screening. Candidates were cautioned not to assume the waiver applies to courses outside the named categories.
Education stakeholders gave the change a mixed reception. Supporters argued it would help fill classrooms with trained teachers, while critics warned that screening standards must be kept high so that the waiver does not lower the quality of entrants.
What this means for candidates
If your goal is an NCE qualification or an Education or Agriculture programme covered by the waiver, you may be able to apply on the basis of your O'level results and an institutional screening, without a UTME score. Confirm directly with the college or faculty that your specific programme is included before relying on the waiver. If you are applying for any other degree, including the sciences and social sciences, you still need a valid UTME score and you still face the normal cut-off marks. When in doubt, treat the UTME as required and prepare accordingly.
Paraphrased summary. This guide is independent and not affiliated with JAMB or any institution mentioned.
Frequently asked questions
What does this mean for 2026 JAMB candidates?
Candidates seeking NCE, Education and Agriculture programmes can now be admitted without a UTME score under a revised policy. For candidates, the practical takeaway is to plan around the confirmed position rather than rumours, and to confirm any figure that affects your decisions on the official JAMB portal or the relevant institution's website before acting on it.
Is this jamb.guide update official?
No. jamb.guide is an independent guide and is not affiliated with JAMB or any institution. This article is a paraphrased summary of Policy meeting communique regarding cut-off marks. The official source named above is authoritative; jamb.guide presents it in candidate-friendly form.
Where can I confirm the latest on cut-off marks?
Confirm the current position on the official JAMB portal at jamb.gov.ng, through the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), and on the admissions portal of the specific institution you applied to. jamb.guide updates its pages through the cycle but the official channels remain the authoritative source.
How does this affect my admission chances?
Developments around cut-off marks shape the timeline and the competitive landscape rather than any individual application directly. The strongest response is to keep your CAPS profile monitored, meet every published deadline, prepare seriously for post-UTME, and have a realistic primary, secondary and fall-back choice. Use the cut-off and eligibility pages on this guide to plan around your actual score.