JAMB ends 100L, 200L admissions into CoEs, makes NCE sole admission route

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) will become the sole admission route into Colleges of Education (CoEs) nationwide from the 2026/2027 academic session, ending admissions into 100 and 200 levels.

The decision forms part of a comprehensive admission reform unveiled by the Board in new guidelines issued by the Office of the Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.

JAMB said the new measures are designed to enhance transparency in admissions, eliminate irregular admission practices and improve the quality of teacher education in Nigeria.

Under the new policy, no candidate will be admitted into 100 or 200 levels in any College of Education from the 2026/2027 academic session, effectively ending the direct entry pathway that previously existed in some institutions.

JAMB also announced the termination of admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by Colleges of Education, saying all prospective students seeking admission into the institutions must do so through the NCE programme.

The Board explained that candidates would only be processed through one mode of admission at a time, noting that any applicant who opts for the NCE route would automatically have any ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) or Direct Entry (DE) admission process suspended.

JAMB said the new arrangement is aimed at strengthening the integrity of admissions into Colleges of Education and ensuring that the institutions focus on their primary mandate of producing qualified teachers.

As part of the reforms, the Board introduced a mandatory O’Level result verification system for all NCE applicants. Candidates are required to obtain an O’Level Verification Code from the relevant examination body, including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS, before proceeding with registration.

The verification code will cost N1,500 for candidates with one sitting and N2,000 for those presenting results from two sittings.

JAMB said registration for NCE admission would be conducted through accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres and Institutional Professional Registration Centres (IPRCs) established in Colleges of Education across the country.

Applicants are expected to obtain a JAMB profile code, pay an application fee of N3,500 and a registration charge of N700, provide details of their preferred institutions and programmes, upload their O’Level results and complete biometric registration.

The Board explained that admissions would be processed through its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), where candidates’ results would be electronically verified against records obtained directly from examination bodies.

It stated that only candidates whose credentials are successfully verified would be recommended for admission, while those awaiting results would have to upload their results before their applications could be considered.

JAMB further announced a condonement process for candidates who were admitted into Colleges of Education outside its admission framework during the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.

The affected candidates are required to obtain verification codes, pay the prescribed fees and process their admissions through the JAMB portal to regularise their status.

For candidates who had already applied for admission into Colleges of Education and agriculture-related non-technology National Diploma (ND) programmes through the 2026 UTME, the Board said their details would be automatically migrated to the new admission platform.

Such candidates would only be required to obtain the verification code and pay a registration charge of N700, as the application fee had already been paid during UTME registration.

JAMB also provided options for candidates who applied to affiliated Colleges of Education for degree programmes. Affected candidates may transfer to the parent universities of the affiliated institutions, switch to another institution at no cost, move to their second-choice institutions, or migrate to NCE programmes where applicable.

JAMB stated that June 22 has been given as deadline for Direct Entry candidates in affiliated Colleges of Education to exercise their options.

The Board, thus directed all Colleges of Education, accredited CBT centres and registration officers nationwide to study the guidelines and ensure strict compliance.