Key points
- The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses will no longer be required to sit for the UTME.
- The decision was disclosed during JAMB’s ongoing 2026 admission policy meeting.
- The move signals a major shift in Nigeria’s tertiary admission process and could create alternative admission pathways for affected candidates.
Main story
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The examination body disclosed the development in a statement shared on its official X handle during its ongoing policy meeting on admissions held on Monday.
“Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board stated.
The decision marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s tertiary admission system, where the UTME has traditionally served as the standard entrance examination for admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education nationwide.
The annual policy meeting organised by JAMB typically determines guidelines for admissions into tertiary institutions, including minimum cut-off marks, admission procedures, and policy directions for the academic session.
Although exemptions from the UTME are not entirely new — particularly for Direct Entry applicants and certain special categories — the latest waiver represents one of the broadest admission policy adjustments introduced by the board in recent years.
The development is expected to affect candidates seeking admission into education-related disciplines and agriculture programmes outside engineering fields, potentially allowing institutions to adopt alternative admission processes such as screening exercises and consideration of other academic qualifications.
In recent years, Education and Agriculture courses have generally recorded lower admission demand and cut-off marks compared to highly competitive programmes such as Medicine, Law, and Engineering.
The latest move is therefore being viewed by stakeholders as part of broader efforts to encourage enrolment into critical sectors linked to teaching, food security, and national development.
Earlier reports had indicated that JAMB was expected to decide the 2026 UTME cut-off marks during Monday’s policy meeting.
THE ISSUES
Nigeria’s education sector has long faced concerns over declining interest in teaching-related programmes and shortages of qualified educators across different levels of the educational system.
Similarly, stakeholders in the agricultural sector have repeatedly raised concerns about low youth participation in agriculture-related courses despite growing national attention on food security and agricultural development.
Experts say the high-pressure nature of the UTME process and intense competition for admission into tertiary institutions have discouraged many prospective candidates from pursuing less competitive but nationally important disciplines.
There are also concerns about how institutions will implement the exemption policy and maintain admission standards without the UTME as a uniform assessment mechanism.
What’s being said
Education stakeholders say the policy could help increase enrolment into Education and Agriculture programmes, especially in public institutions struggling with low student intake in those fields.
Some analysts believe the decision may also reduce barriers to higher education for candidates interested in sectors considered critical to Nigeria’s long-term socio-economic development.
However, others have called for clearer implementation guidelines to prevent confusion among candidates and ensure transparency in the admission process.
What’s next
JAMB is expected to provide further clarification on the modalities for admission into the affected programmes, including the alternative requirements institutions may adopt.
The board is also anticipated to announce the official 2026 UTME cut-off marks following the conclusion of its policy meeting.
Universities, colleges of education, and other tertiary institutions may subsequently adjust their admission procedures to align with the new policy direction.
Bottom line
JAMB’s decision to exempt candidates seeking admission into Education and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses from the UTME represents a major policy shift in Nigeria’s tertiary admission system. While the move is expected to boost enrolment in critical sectors, stakeholders say its success will depend on transparent implementation and effective coordination between the examination body and tertiary institutions.
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