UTME Exemption Granted for Education, Non-Engineering Agriculture Programmes

By Tgnews Reporter

Candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and non-Engineering Agriculture courses in Nigerian tertiary institutions have been exempted from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The development, announced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is expected to take immediate effect for the upcoming admission cycle. Under the new directive, prospective students for courses such as B.Ed programmes, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, Animal Science, Crop Science, and related non-engineering agriculture fields can now gain admission through alternative entry modes, primarily via Direct Entry or institution-specific screening processes.

According to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the exemption is designed to streamline access to critical sectors of the economy.

“Education and agriculture remain foundational to national development. By removing the UTME barrier for these programmes, we aim to attract more qualified and passionate candidates who may have been discouraged by the rigours of the general examination,” he stated.

Stakeholders have welcomed the move. The President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Amba, described it as “a timely intervention that will help tackle the acute shortage of qualified teachers across the country.” Similarly, agricultural experts believe the policy will encourage more young Nigerians to pursue careers in agribusiness and food security.

However, some educationists have called for strict monitoring to maintain admission standards and prevent abuse of the exemption window.

Candidates interested in these programmes are advised to visit the official JAMB website or contact their preferred institutions for detailed guidelines and application timelines.

This policy forms part of broader reforms by the Federal Government to make tertiary education more accessible while aligning admissions with national manpower needs in education and agriculture.