The Nigeria Union of Teachers has strongly kicked against the Federal Government’s recent decision to exempt candidates seeking admission into Colleges of Education from sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The union warned that the policy, which now requires only four credits in the Senior School Certificate Examination for entry into Nigerian Certificate in Education programmes, risks lowering standards in teacher education and further weakening the quality of the teaching profession in the country.
In a statement delivered on Tuesday in Abuja during the 21st Century Teacher Initiative, NUT President Audu Titus Amba expressed deep concern over the development. He argued that Colleges of Education, as critical institutions responsible for producing teachers for basic education, should attract the best and most qualified candidates rather than lowering entry requirements.
The union believes that bypassing the UTME could lead to a decline in the calibre of individuals entering the teaching profession, which would ultimately affect the standard of education delivered to Nigerian children.
The NUT president stressed that major education policies affecting teacher production must involve key stakeholders, including teachers’ unions, before implementation. He highlighted existing challenges such as poor welfare, inadequate incentives, and weak policy support, which already contribute to the declining appeal of the teaching profession.
According to the union, relaxing admission standards without addressing these foundational issues could compound the problems and harm the long-term quality of education in Nigeria.
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, had announced the waiver at the 2026 admission policy meeting organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board. The policy aims to boost enrolment into Colleges of Education and address the shortage of qualified teachers.
However, the NUT maintains that such a move, if not carefully managed, may achieve the opposite effect by compromising the integrity of teacher training programmes.
