By Our Reporter
The Federal Government has cancelled all admissions into the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes for the 2026 academic session over alleged violations of regulatory requirements.
The government also directed the Kaduna-based institute to discontinue all university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, declaring that it lacked the legal authorisation to award NCE certificates and university degrees.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the decisions in a statement issued on Saturday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo.
Consequently, the ministry warned prospective students, parents and members of the public against seeking admission into the affected programmes, whether on a full-time, part-time or Distance Learning Studies (DLS) basis.
It also cautioned applicants against accepting admission offers or making payments to the institute for the affected programmes.
The ministry explained that the action followed violations of the Ministerial Operational Guidelines issued on September 12, 2025.
According to the statement, admissions into NCE programmes must comply with the requirements of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), as well as accreditation standards established by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
The ministry further directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) to notify universities affiliated with NTI and ensure strict compliance with the directive terminating the institute’s degree-awarding arrangements.
However, the Federal Government assured students already enrolled in existing programmes that measures would be taken to protect their academic interests.
In particular, students in NCE II to NCE IV under the Distance Learning Studies programme may be allowed to complete their studies, subject to accreditation outcomes and other regulatory requirements.
To this end, the NCCE will undertake a comprehensive accreditation exercise covering existing NCE programmes and study centres across the six geopolitical zones.
The ministry said eligible students would be permitted to complete their programmes based on the outcome of the exercise.
It also clarified that the NTI’s statutory mandate remains centred on teacher education, training, retraining, in-service development and continuous professional development.
The institute is also expected to provide pedagogical capacity-building for teachers and run a three-to-six-month Special Abridged Programme for serving teachers who possess non-Education degrees.
The programme is designed to equip such teachers with the professional competencies required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
The ministry said the intervention was intended to protect students, uphold academic standards and prevent unsuspecting applicants from enrolling in programmes that do not have the necessary regulatory approval.
It urged prospective students and parents to verify the accreditation and admission status of institutions and academic programmes through the appropriate regulatory agencies and official government channels before making enrolment or payment decisions.