The Federal Government’s latest decision to remove the UTME requirement for some students seeking admission into Colleges of Education and agriculture-related programmes has continued to stir reactions across the country.
The announcement was made during the recent admission policy meeting organized by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
According to the government, the move is part of efforts to attract more young Nigerians into the teaching profession and agricultural studies.
While many people see the policy as a welcome development, others believe it could create new problems for the education sector.
Supporters Say It Will Help Students
Some Nigerians praised the decision, saying it could reduce the stress students face during the admission process.
Others believe many students avoid Colleges of Education because of the pressure attached to writing UTME every year. They argued that removing the exam requirement may encourage more candidates to apply for education and agriculture programmes.
A few parents also reacted positively online, saying the new system could give students from low-income families a better opportunity to continue their education without spending heavily on repeated UTME registration.
Critics Raise Concerns
Despite the support from some groups, the policy has also attracted criticism.
Some education stakeholders warned that scrapping UTME for certain programmes could affect the quality of students entering tertiary institutions. According to them, admission screening remains important in maintaining academic standards.
Others questioned whether the government should focus more on improving schools and learning facilities instead of changing admission rules.
FG Gives Clarification
The government later explained that the exemption does not apply to all university courses. It stated that only candidates applying for NCE programmes and some agriculture-related National Diploma courses would benefit from the policy.
Officials also noted that affected students would still register through JAMB’s admission system before gaining admission into any institution.
