Federal Government Cancels NTI 2026 NCE, Degree Admissions Over Regulatory Violations

Federal Government Cancels NTI 2026 NCE, Degree Admissions Over Regulatory Violations:

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 breaches involving admissions, accreditation and university affiliations.

The Ministry also directed the Institute to discontinue all university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, stressing that NTI is not authorised to award NCE and university degrees.

In a press release issued on November 7, 2026, the Ministry warned prospective students, parents and the general public against applying for admission, accepting admission offers or making payments for the affected programmes.

It further clarified that the ban covers all admission categories, including full-time, part-time and Distance Learning Studies (DLS).

According to the Ministry, the directive follows violations of the Ministerial Operational Guidelines issued on September 12, 2025.

The Ministry explained that admissions into NCE programmes must comply with the requirements of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and accreditation standards established 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.

Protection for Existing Students

Despite the cancellation of the 2026 admissions, the Federal Government has made provisions to protect students already enrolled in existing programmes.

The NCCE will conduct comprehensive accreditation of existing NCE II–IV Distance Learning programmes and study centres across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The Ministry stated that eligible students would be allowed to complete their programmes, subject to accreditation outcomes and other applicable regulatory requirements.

NTI's Approved Mandate

The Ministry reaffirmed that the statutory mandate of the National Teachers' Institute remains focused on teacher training, retraining, in-service development and continuous professional development.

These responsibilities include pedagogical capacity-building and the three-to-six-month Special Abridged Programme designed for serving teachers with non-Education degrees to acquire the professional competencies required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), subject to applicable regulations.

The Federal Ministry of Education said the intervention is aimed at protecting students, maintaining academic standards and preventing prospective applicants from enrolling in unapproved academic programmes.

It therefore advised members of the public to verify the accreditation and admission status of educational programmes through relevant regulatory authorities and official government channels before making enrolment or payment decisions.

Source: Federal Ministry of Education, Press Release dated November 7, 2026.

Official Statement Issued By: Boriowo Folasade, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education.

Published by: Pen Times Magazine.