NUT Rejects JAMB Exemption For NCE Candidates
The Nigeria Union of Teachers has kicked against the Federal Government’s decision to exempt candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by .
Speaking during a sensitisation workshop for teachers in Abuja, the union’s National President, Audu Amba warned that the policy could further weaken standards in teacher education across the country.
Amba expressed concern over the declining quality of candidates enrolling in colleges of education, noting that many high-performing students now prefer universities while colleges of education are increasingly treated as a last resort.
According to him, teaching should attract some of the best academic minds in the country rather than candidates who failed to secure university admission.
“Why can’t we now say that anyone going to College of Education to become a teacher tomorrow must be among the highest-scoring candidates in UTME?” he asked.
Also speaking at the event, the Registrar of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Ronke Soyombo, stressed the need to equip teachers with digital and innovative skills to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy.
Representing the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, Dr Iyabo Ali called for continuous capacity development for teachers to align Nigeria’s education system with global standards.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, raised concerns over the poor state of educational infrastructure, stating that more than 70 percent of schools in Nigeria lack adequate teaching and learning facilities.
