NUT faults FG’s UTME waiver for NCE candidates

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Titus Amba, has warned that if not properly implemented, Federal Government’s waiver of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for admission into Colleges of Education could weaken the quality of teacher training and undermine professionalism in the teaching profession.

Amba said this while speaking at the 21st Century Teachers Workshop in collaboration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

He added that the union was not adequately consulted before the announcement of the policy.

He stressed that critical stakeholders should be carried along in reforms affecting teacher education.

“When you announce that you’ve given waiver to students going to colleges of education, it gives the man walking on the street a different thinking of the seriousness that is attached to producing credible teachers.

“We felt a bit worried because policies affecting institutions that produce teachers for future generations must be carefully considered,” he said.

Amba noted that removing the UTME requirement might send wrong signals about the seriousness attached to producing qualified teachers.

He said teaching should not be treated as a profession open to anyone without rigorous training and proper screening processes.

“Today, we are in a situation where people who have graduated from university without any idea of the teaching profession go out there because of lack of job.

“They go there and pick teaching job. Teaching job shouldn’t be seen like that. Teaching job should go beyond that.

“When admission into Colleges of Education is granted without standard entry evaluation, the public may begin to question the credibility of teachers being produced,” he said.

The NUT president, who described himself as a product of the traditional teacher-training system, recalled that earlier teacher education emphasised structured progression, including intensive teaching practice before certification.

He lamented the disappearance of teachers’ training colleges at the secondary level, which previously prepared candidates before proceeding to higher teacher education.

According to him, the absence of foundational teacher training has contributed to a situation where individuals without pedagogical background enter the profession merely as a temporary employment option.

“Teaching should not be seen as a stop-gap job. Like medicine, law or journalism, it requires proper training and commitment,” Amba said.

He added that strengthening admission standards and improving teachers’ welfare would make the profession more attractive to talented youths.

Amba also called on government to prioritise investment in teacher education, infrastructure and digital capacity.

He noted that many students in rural areas still lack access to computers and internet facilities required for modern learning and examinations.

He reaffirmed the union’s support for digital assessment systems but urged government to bridge infrastructure gaps to avoid excluding students from disadvantaged communities.

The NUT president appealed to government and stakeholders to adopt deliberate policies that would elevate teachers’ status and restore public confidence in the profession.

The Federal Government had on Monday during the 2026 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy meeting granted admission waiver to candidates seeking the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) without sitting for UTME.

(NAN)