JAMB Ends Affiliated Degree Programmes in Colleges of Education

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially discontinued admissions into affiliated degree programmes run by colleges of education across Nigeria, marking a major policy shift in the country’s teacher education framework.

The decision is contained in JAMB’s newly released NCE/ND Agric Registration Guidelines issued in June 2026 by the Office of the Registrar.

Under the new directive, the board stated that “no admission into any affiliated programme in any college of education” will be allowed from the 2026/2027 academic session.

It further clarified that, with effect from the 2026/2027 session, no admission will be permitted into 100 or 200 level in any college of education, stressing that all entrants must now come strictly through the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) route.

The policy effectively ends the long-standing arrangement that allowed colleges of education to run degree programmes in partnership with universities, through which students could graduate with university-awarded degrees while studying in colleges of education.

JAMB explained that candidates who had already selected affiliated institutions under the previous structure would not be left stranded. It said they may either change institution at no cost, migrate to the parent university linked to their chosen programme or convert their application to NCE admission.

According to the board, candidates who opt for the NCE route will be required to obtain an O-Level verification code and pay a registration fee of ₦700 through the JAMB portal.

The board also introduced mandatory O-Level verification for all NCE applicants, pegging the fee at ₦1,500 for one sitting and ₦2,000 for two sittings.

JAMB directed all institutions, accredited CBT centres and registration offices to strictly comply with the new guidelines, adding that applications recommending NCE admission would override ongoing UTME or Direct Entry processes.

The policy represents a major restructuring of Nigeria’s teacher education system, positioning the NCE as the sole entry requirement into colleges of education from the 2026/2027 academic session.