By Our Correspondent
The Federal Government has cancelled all admissions into the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, for the 2026 academic session, affecting its National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes over regulatory violations.
The Federal Ministry of Education also directed the institute to discontinue its university affiliations and degree awarding arrangements, warning prospective students, parents and the general public against seeking admission into the affected programmes.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Saturday, November 7, by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, who explained that the institute was not authorised to award NCE or university degrees.
The ministry stated that the cancellation covers all admission arrangements under the affected programmes, including full time, part time and Distance Learning Studies (DLS).
It further warned prospective applicants against submitting applications, accepting admission offers or making payments to the institute for the affected courses.
According to the ministry, the action followed violations of the Ministerial Operational Guidelines issued on September 12, 2025, particularly concerning admission procedures, programme accreditation and university affiliations.
The government explained that admissions into NCE programmes must comply with the requirements of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), alongside accreditation standards established by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
It also directed the National Universities Commission (NUC) to notify universities affected by the directive and ensure that they comply with the termination of the institute’s degree awarding arrangements.
However, the ministry said steps were being taken to prevent students already enrolled in the affected programmes from suffering unnecessary academic disruption.
It disclosed that the NCCE would conduct a comprehensive accreditation exercise covering existing NCE II-IV Distance Learning programmes and study centres across the six geopolitical zones.
Students found eligible under the accreditation exercise may be permitted to complete their studies, subject to the outcome of the assessment and other applicable regulatory requirements.
The ministry also clarified that the development does not remove NTI’s statutory responsibility for teacher training, retraining, in service development and continuous professional development.
It said the institute was expected to concentrate on its approved responsibilities, including improving teachers’ professional and classroom skills through pedagogical capacity building programmes.
The ministry further identified the three to six month Special Abridged Programme for serving teachers with non Education degrees as part of the institute’s expected activities. The programme is designed to help eligible teachers acquire the professional competencies required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), subject to applicable regulations.
The government said the intervention was necessary to protect students, maintain academic standards and prevent prospective applicants from enrolling in programmes that do not meet regulatory requirements.
It therefore urged members of the public to confirm the accreditation and admission status of educational programmes through the appropriate regulatory agencies and official government channels before applying or making payments.
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