The Leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos State Wing, has rejected the Federal Government’s decision to grant a waiver from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for applicants seeking admission into Colleges of Education. This position was taken at its State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting held on Monday, 25th May, 2026.
At the meeting, the union reaffirmed its opposition to the policy, noting that it aligns with the stance of the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (Nigeria Union of Teachers). According to a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary, Comrade Hassan Akintoye Mujeeb and Comrade Ayetoba Gbenga, the policy was strongly rejected.
“The Federal Government had earlier announced at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) policy meeting, the removal of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for students seeking admission into Colleges of Education.
“The SWEC in Session aligned itself in totality with the position of NUT-NEC objecting to the policy, which is capable of down-playing the importance of teachers and teaching profession in the society,” a press Statement jointly signed by the Chairman and the Secretary of the union, Comrade Hassan Akintoye Mujeeb and Comrade Ayetoba Gbenga respectively read.
The State Chairman warned that the policy could have serious implications for the teaching profession, arguing that lowering entry requirements may weaken the quality of teacher education and produce graduates who lack sufficient subject mastery.
He further explained that weak content knowledge combined with weak pedagogical training would result in teachers who are unable to deliver effective instruction.
According to him, the policy risks devaluing the teaching profession by making admission “too easy,” thereby reducing its prestige and discouraging high-achieving students from choosing education as a career.
He added that stronger candidates would likely prefer other professional fields such as law, medicine, and engineering, leaving education colleges with students who could not gain admission into other disciplines.
In his words, “Bad teachers don’t just affects one class, they affect the whole society at large. No country can develop above the quality of its education. If the policy is allowed to stand, the adverse effect would be too grievous for the society, fixing the error later would cost far more than maintaining a higher entry standard now”.
Comrade Hassan Akintoye also called for an “Education Summit” that would bring together key stakeholders in the education sector to address challenges affecting enrolment in Colleges of Education.
He referenced previous reforms aimed at improving the teaching profession, including the bill harmonising the extension of retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years and service years from 35 to 40, which was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020.
He noted that the law also provided for improved funding of public education, a Special Salary Scale for Teachers (TSS), and financial incentives for students studying education in tertiary institutions, among others, but lamented that many of these provisions have yet to be implemented.
The NUT Chairman urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and reconsider the policy, warning that prioritising short-term access over long-term quality could further weaken Nigeria’s education system.
“Teaching is a noble profession and must be treated with dignity”, the statement concluded.
