Education Ministry Cancels NTI NCE, Degree Admissions for 2026 Academic Session
The Federal Ministry of Education has cancelled all admissions into the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, for the 2026 academic session over regulatory violations.
The Ministry also directed the Institute to discontinue all university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, stating that NTI is not authorised to award NCE or university degrees under the current regulatory framework.
In a statement, the Ministry warned prospective students, parents and the general public against applying for, accepting admission offers or making payments for the affected programmes.
It stressed that the ban covers full-time, part-time and Distance Learning Studies (DLS) programmes, with no further admissions permitted.
The decision follows alleged violations of the Ministerial Operational Guidelines issued on September 12, 2025. The Ministry explained that NCE admissions must comply with the requirements of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and accreditation standards set by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
It also directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) to notify affected universities and ensure compliance with the decision to discontinue NTI’s degree-awarding arrangements.
However, to protect students already enrolled in the affected programmes, the NCCE will conduct a comprehensive accreditation exercise covering existing NCE II–IV Distance Learning programmes and study centres across the six geopolitical zones.
The Ministry said eligible students would be allowed to complete their programmes, subject to accreditation outcomes and other regulatory requirements.
It further clarified that NTI’s statutory responsibilities remain focused on teacher training, retraining, in-service development and continuous professional development.
These include pedagogical training and the three-to-six-month Special Abridged Programme designed for serving teachers with non-Education degrees to acquire the professional qualifications required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), subject to applicable regulations.
The Ministry said the intervention was aimed at protecting students, maintaining academic standards and preventing prospective applicants from enrolling in unapproved programmes.
It therefore urged the public to verify the accreditation and admission status of educational programmes through relevant regulatory agencies and official government channels before applying or making payments.
Education Ministry Cancels NTI NCE, Degree Admissions for 2026 Academic Session