The Federal Government 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 alleged regulatory violations involving admissions, accreditation and university affiliations.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the decision in a press release issued on Saturday, November 7, 2026, warning prospective students, parents and the general public against seeking admission into the affected programmes.
The Ministry also directed NTI to discontinue all university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, stressing that the institute was not authorised to award NCE or university degrees.
According to the Ministry, the cancellation covers all admission arrangements, including full-time, part-time and Distance Learning Studies (DLS) programmes.
It consequently advised prospective applicants not to apply, accept admission offers or make payments for the affected programmes.
The Ministry explained that the directive followed violations of the Ministerial Operational Guidelines issued on September 12, 2025.
It further clarified that admissions into NCE programmes must comply with the applicable requirements of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and accreditation standards of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has also been directed to notify affected universities and ensure compliance with the order discontinuing NTI’s degree-awarding arrangements.
Government Moves to Protect Existing Students
Despite the cancellation of fresh admissions, the Federal Government has indicated its commitment to protecting students already enrolled in the affected programmes.
The Ministry disclosed that the NCCE would undertake a comprehensive accreditation exercise covering existing NCE II–IV Distance Learning programmes and study centres across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
It stated that eligible students could be permitted to complete their programmes, subject to accreditation outcomes and applicable regulatory requirements.
The Ministry emphasised that the intervention was not intended to abandon existing students but to protect their academic interests while ensuring compliance with established educational standards.
NTI’s Statutory Responsibilities
The Federal Government reiterated that the statutory mandate of the National Teachers’ Institute remains centred on teacher training, retraining, in-service development and continuous professional development.
The institute is also expected to provide pedagogical capacity-building and implement a three-to-six-month Special Abridged Programme 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 Ministry said the decision was aimed at safeguarding students, maintaining academic standards and preventing prospective applicants from enrolling in programmes that do not have the required regulatory approval.
It therefore urged parents, students and other members of the public to verify the accreditation and admission status of educational programmes through the relevant regulatory authorities and official government channels before applying, accepting admission or making payments.
The development is expected to have significant implications for prospective NTI applicants for the 2026 academic session, particularly those seeking NCE and degree qualifications through distance learning and other study arrangements.
