The Nigeria Union of Teachers has opposed the Federal Government’s proposal to exempt candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education programme from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, as reported by Daily Post Nigeria.
NUT President Audu Amba said the move could lower standards in teacher training. He spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at a sensitisation workshop for teachers organised by 21st Century in partnership with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
Amba expressed concern over the declining quality of candidates entering colleges of education, noting that many top-performing students now prefer universities. He warned that the trend poses a long-term risk to teaching quality in Nigeria and insisted that the profession should attract the country’s best academic performers.
“Colleges of Education should have the highest-scoring UTME candidates,” Amba said. “Instead, when students fail to gain university admission, they are told to settle for NCE.”
TRCN Registrar Dr. Ronke Soyombo stressed the need to reposition teachers for a digital economy, saying Nigeria’s education future depends on educators who are technologically skilled and professionally competent.
Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, represented by Dr. Iyabo Ali, called for continuous training to help teachers upgrade their digital and innovative skills to meet global standards.
Other stakeholders, including House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro, urged stronger collaboration in the education sector. Moro also warned that over 70 percent of Nigerian schools lack adequate teaching and learning facilities, a gap he said threatens the foundation of the country’s education system.