By The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has introduced new registration and admission guidelines for the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and Non-Technology Agricultural-related National Diploma (ND) programmes, with major changes affecting entry routes into Colleges of Education from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The guidelines, issued by the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, stated that all admissions into Colleges of Education will now be processed through the NCE route, ending direct admission into 100 and 200 levels.
The Board explained that candidates who select the NCE option and are proposed or recommended for admission will have any ongoing UTME or Direct Entry processes suspended, adding that applicants would only be processed under one admission mode at a time.
According to the advisory, “with effect from 2026/7 Session, no admission into 100 or 200 Level is allowed into any College of Education. All entrants are through NCE.”
JAMB also announced that no admission would be granted into affiliated degree programmes in Colleges of Education from the 2026/2027 session.
The new procedure requires prospective NCE candidates to first verify their O’Level results through approved examination bodies, including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and NBAIS, before proceeding with registration.
The Board said candidates must obtain an O’Level verification code after payment and provide details such as examination year, examination number, and subjects for authentication.
For the registration process, candidates are required to create or update their JAMB profile, select the NCE/Agric registration option, make the necessary payments, upload their verification code, and complete biometric capture at accredited CBT centres or Institutional Professional Registration Centres (IPRCs).
The guidelines also introduced a verification process aimed at preventing fake academic results. JAMB stated that claimed O’Level results would be validated through its system before institutions recommend candidates for admission.
The Board noted that institutions would only recommend qualified candidates after reviewing their submitted documents, while candidates with awaiting results would not be recommended until their results are uploaded.
The advisory further addressed irregular admissions carried out in the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions, providing a process for affected candidates to regularise their admissions.
For 2026 applicants, JAMB said candidates who previously applied through UTME would be migrated to their selected Colleges of Education or relevant ND Agricultural-related programmes, subject to meeting the new requirements.
The Board also provided options for candidates affected by changes involving affiliated Colleges of Education, including change of institution, transfer to parent universities, or movement to NCE programmes where applicable.
JAMB urged all Professional Registration Centres, Institutional Professional Registration Centres, and relevant officials to ensure strict compliance with the new guidelines.
The Board said the measures were designed to improve transparency, strengthen verification procedures, and ensure that admissions into Colleges of Education follow approved standards.
