The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed reservations about the federal government’s decision to exempt candidates seeking admission into colleges of education from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
NUT President, Titus Amba, spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at a workshop organised in collaboration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). He warned that, if not carefully implemented, the policy could affect the quality of teacher training and undermine professionalism in the education sector.
The federal government had earlier announced that applicants to colleges of education would no longer be required to sit for the UTME. Speaking at the 2026 UTME admission policy meeting, the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, explained that candidates with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects could apply to colleges of education without taking the examination. However, such candidates must still register with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and their credentials would be screened and verified before admission letters are issued through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).
Amba said the union was not sufficiently consulted before the policy was announced and emphasized the need for stakeholders to be involved in reforms affecting teacher education.
He expressed concern that removing the UTME requirement might create the impression that teacher training is less rigorous, potentially reducing public confidence in the quality of teachers produced by colleges of education.
According to him, teaching should be treated as a professional career requiring structured training, proper evaluation, and commitment—similar to other regulated professions. He argued that weakening admission standards could send the wrong signal about the seriousness of preparing future educators.
Amba also noted that in the past, teacher education followed a more structured pathway, including foundational training and practical teaching experience. He lamented the decline of earlier training institutions that prepared candidates before they progressed to higher levels of education.
He further stressed the importance of investing in teacher education, infrastructure, and digital learning facilities, particularly in rural areas where access to technology remains limited. While supporting digital assessment systems, he urged the government to address infrastructure gaps to avoid disadvantaging students from underserved communities.
The NUT president called on the government and other stakeholders to adopt policies that would enhance the status of teachers and strengthen public trust in the profession.
