Fresh policy by JAMB sparks nationwide reactions as thousands of admission seekers may no longer need to write UTME for selected courses.
A major shake-up has hit Nigeria’s admission system after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) 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 surprise announcement, which emerged during the ongoing 2026 JAMB Policy Meeting in Abuja, has already triggered massive reactions among students, parents, and education stakeholders across the country. Many Nigerians described the development as one of the biggest changes to tertiary admission processes in recent years.
According to JAMB, the exemption applies specifically to candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education and some agriculture-related programmes in polytechnics and similar institutions. The board disclosed the update via its official communication channels, confirming that affected candidates would no longer need to undergo the stress of writing UTME before securing admission.
The policy is already generating intense debate online, with many Nigerians applauding the move as a strategic attempt to revive interest in Education and Agriculture courses — two sectors experts say are suffering from low enrollment and declining interest among youths. Others, however, fear the development could reduce competition standards or create confusion around admission procedures.
Education analysts believe the Federal Government may be trying to address the growing shortage of teachers and skilled agricultural professionals in Nigeria. In recent years, several tertiary institutions have struggled to attract enough candidates into Education and Agriculture programmes despite Nigeria’s rising unemployment and food security concerns.
Social media platforms were immediately flooded with reactions shortly after the announcement broke. While many students celebrated the possibility of entering tertiary institutions without UTME stress, others questioned whether universities would eventually adopt similar policies for additional courses in the future. The development is expected to dominate conversations in Nigeria’s education sector in the coming days as more details emerge from JAMB and the Federal Ministry of Education.