The Federal Government has voided all admissions into the National Certificate in Education and degree tracks at the National Teachers' Institute for the 2026 academic calendar. The decision follows regulatory breaches tied to accreditation and partnerships with universities.
According to a report by Punch, the Federal Ministry of Education instructed the Kaduna-based training body to immediately end all university affiliations and degree-awarding schemes. The ministry also warned parents and prospective candidates not to apply or pay money for the halted courses.
In an official statement released on Saturday, the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, explained that the institute lacks the legal clearance to run NCE or university degree programmes. The cancellation affects all study modes, covering full-time, part-time, and distance learning courses.
The ministry noted that the institute failed to adhere to the Ministerial Operational Guidelines that took effect on September 12, 2025. It stated that all NCE admissions must strictly follow the criteria set by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, alongside the standards of the National Commission for Colleges of Education.
To handle partnerships already in place, the National Universities Commission was asked to contact the universities involved and ensure they comply with the directive stopping NTI’s degree programmes.
Meanwhile, students who are already taking NCE courses through distance learning will be shielded. The NCCE plans to inspect study centres across the six geopolitical zones, assessing NCE II to IV tracks to verify if they meet official rules.
Students who qualify will be allowed to finish their studies, depending on the results of the evaluation. The ministry stated that these measures are meant to protect learners from enrolling in unauthorised courses.
Authorities reaffirmed that NTI’s official role is focused on teacher training, capacity development, and in-service professional growth. This includes the three-to-six-month Special Abridged Programme designed to help teachers holding non-education degrees qualify for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
The public has been advised to check the approval status of any programme with relevant regulators before processing payments or registrations.
