NUT Rejects UTME Waiver for NCE Admission

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has rejected the Federal Government’s decision to exempt candidates seeking admission into the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) programme from writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), warning that the policy could significantly undermine the quality of teacher education in Nigeria.

The position was expressed by the NUT National President, Audu Titus Amba, during a teacher sensitisation programme organised by 21st Century in collaboration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) in Abuja.

Amba said the policy reflects a worrying trend where Colleges of Education in Nigeria are increasingly becoming a second-choice destination for candidates who fail to secure admission into universities, rather than attracting top-performing students into the teaching profession.

According to him, teaching should be reserved for some of the most academically strong candidates, stressing that lowering entry standards could have long-term consequences on the country’s basic education system.

“Why can’t we now say that anyone going to the College of Education to become a teacher tomorrow must be among the highest-scoring candidates in UTME?

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“Colleges of Education are supposed to have the best candidates, but unfortunately, when people fail to secure university admission, they are told to go and manage NCE,” he said.

The controversy follows the Federal Government’s recent policy announcement at the JAMB policy meeting, where the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated that applicants with at least four credit passes in relevant subjects would no longer be required to sit for UTME before gaining admission into Colleges of Education.

Government officials argue that the reform is aimed at expanding access to teacher training programmes in Nigeria, reducing admission pressure on universities, and addressing the shortage of qualified teachers nationwide.

However, the NUT insists that while access to education is important, maintaining high academic and professional standards in teacher preparation must remain a priority.

Amba warned that weakening admission requirements could result in producing underqualified teachers, which may ultimately affect the quality of learning outcomes in primary and secondary schools across the country.

At the same event, stakeholders including the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) highlighted the need for continuous professional development to prepare teachers for a rapidly evolving education system driven by technology and digital learning.

TRCN Registrar, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, stressed that modern teachers must be digitally competent, innovative, and professionally trained to meet global standards in education delivery.

She noted that teacher training must go beyond certification to include continuous capacity building, particularly in digital literacy in education.

The Minister of Education, represented by Dr. Iyabo Ali, also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving teacher quality through ongoing reforms and training initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s education sector.

Other speakers at the programme, including Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas (represented by Dr. Mary Aba) and Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro, called for stronger collaboration among education stakeholders to improve standards and learning conditions.

Senator Moro expressed concern over the deteriorating state of public education, warning that many schools in Nigeria still lack adequate infrastructure and conducive learning environments for effective teaching and learning.

Education analysts say the debate reflects a long-standing tension in Nigeria’s education policy between expanding access to teacher training and maintaining strict academic standards in education reform in Nigeria.

While the Federal Government maintains that the UTME waiver is designed to encourage more candidates into the teaching profession and address staffing shortages, critics like the NUT insist that quality must not be compromised.

NUT Rejects UTME Waiver for NCE Admission

Trump Expands Efforts to Revoke Citizenship of Some Foreign-Born Americans

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to strip citizenship from some naturalised Americans, launching fresh denaturalisation cases against individuals accused of fraud, terrorism-related activities, war crimes and other serious offences.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that new proceedings have been filed against about a dozen foreign-born US citizens accused of concealing critical information during their immigration and naturalisation processes or engaging in criminal activities that could have disqualified them from obtaining citizenship.

Among the most prominent cases is that of Debashis Ghosh, an Indian-origin businessman accused of orchestrating an investment fraud scheme valued at approximately $2.5 million.

According to court filings, Ghosh allegedly defrauded investors both before and after obtaining US citizenship by misleading them about the management and location of investment funds.

Federal authorities alleged that he intentionally concealed aspects of the scheme during his naturalisation process and continued the fraudulent operation after becoming a US citizen.

The latest actions are part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy by the Trump administration, which has increasingly focused on denaturalisation as a tool for addressing alleged immigration fraud and national security concerns.

US officials said the new cases were filed through collaboration between the Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Litigation, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and federal prosecutors across multiple states.

Authorities stated that some of the individuals targeted in the latest crackdown are accused of terrorism-related offences, firearms trafficking, financial crimes and even war crimes.

Under US law, denaturalisation is the legal process through which citizenship obtained through naturalisation can be revoked if the government proves that the person intentionally concealed material facts or committed fraud during the citizenship process.

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Legal experts note that denaturalisation remains relatively uncommon because US citizenship enjoys strong constitutional protections.

However, federal courts may revoke citizenship in cases involving deliberate deception, false identity claims, undisclosed criminal conduct or affiliations with terrorist or extremist organisations.

Statistics released by immigration authorities show that between 1990 and 2017, the United States filed slightly more than 300 denaturalisation cases — averaging about 11 cases annually — making the recent increase under the Trump administration particularly significant.

The renewed push follows years of stricter immigration policies introduced during Trump’s presidency, including expanded vetting procedures, tougher asylum policies and intensified reviews of old immigration records for possible fraud.

The Department of Justice has previously argued that citizenship obtained through deception undermines the integrity of the US immigration system and should be revoked when evidence supports such action.

Critics, however, warn that aggressive denaturalisation efforts could create widespread anxiety among immigrant communities and naturalised citizens who fear increased government scrutiny.

Civil liberties organisations and immigration advocacy groups have repeatedly argued that expanding citizenship revocation policies risks undermining confidence in the immigration system and may discourage eligible immigrants from applying for US citizenship.

Legal scholars have also raised concerns that broad denaturalisation campaigns could disproportionately affect minority and immigrant populations, particularly individuals from developing countries.

Although the current list of defendants does not specifically target any nationality, the inclusion of an Indian-origin businessman has attracted significant attention within South Asian communities in the United States.

Many immigrant advocacy groups believe the development signals a broader immigration enforcement approach rather than a nationality-specific crackdown.

Immigration lawyers also noted that denaturalisation cases can have severe consequences beyond the loss of citizenship, including possible criminal prosecution, detention and eventual deportation if courts rule against the accused individuals.

The Justice Department has not disclosed how many of the ongoing cases could ultimately lead to deportation proceedings or additional criminal charges.

Meanwhile, supporters of the administration’s immigration policies argue that enforcing denaturalisation laws is necessary to preserve the credibility of the US citizenship process and ensure that citizenship is not granted through fraud or deception.

The renewed enforcement push is expected to further fuel political debate over immigration, citizenship rights and national security as the United States moves deeper into another heated election season.

Trump Expands Efforts to Revoke Citizenship of Some Foreign-Born Americans

JAMB to Allow Candidates Use Personal Computers for UTME from 2027

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced plans to introduce a “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) option for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) beginning from 2027 as part of efforts to improve examination efficiency and reduce technical problems experienced at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this on Monday during the 2026 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions held in Abuja.

According to Oloyede, candidates will be allowed to use their personal laptops or computers for the examination under a controlled system designed to preserve the integrity and security of the UTME process.

He explained that a specially configured flash drive and other security mechanisms would be deployed to restrict unauthorised access, prevent malpractice and ensure candidates cannot tamper with the examination platform during the test.

“Candidates would be allowed to use their personal devices for the examination, but a flash drive would be inserted to prevent malpractice,” Oloyede stated.

The JAMB registrar said the initiative was introduced to make the examination process more convenient, reliable and cost-effective for both candidates and the examination body.

According to him, the move would also address frequent complaints by candidates about malfunctioning computers and sudden system shutdowns at CBT centres during examinations.

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Oloyede noted that many candidates perform better on devices they are already familiar with, adding that the BYOD option would reduce anxiety associated with using unfamiliar systems during the high-stakes examination.

He further explained that the board was developing additional technological safeguards ahead of the 2027 rollout to ensure that the system meets global examination standards and remains resistant to cyber threats or examination fraud.

The planned reform forms part of JAMB’s broader digital transformation strategy aimed at improving the credibility, efficiency and transparency of Nigeria’s tertiary admission process.

In recent years, JAMB has introduced stricter examination monitoring systems including biometric verification, IP address tracking, candidate login restrictions and real-time surveillance at accredited CBT centres to curb examination malpractice.

The registrar also disclosed that the board had continued to sanction CBT centres found guilty of violating examination guidelines, while several centres were delisted during the 2026 UTME exercise over technical and ethical breaches.

During the same policy meeting, JAMB announced top performers in the 2026 UTME examination.

According to Oloyede, John Ayuba Enwere emerged as the overall best candidate with a score of 372.

Enwere, who sat for the examination in Lagos State, selected Nile University as his first-choice institution and intends to study Computer Science.

Ayomide Bamisile from Ondo State emerged as the third-best candidate with a score of 369 and chose the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) as his preferred institution to study Software Engineering.

JAMB also used the meeting to discuss admission benchmarks, institutional capacities and reforms aimed at improving fairness and transparency in the admission process across Nigerian tertiary institutions.

The UTME remains Nigeria’s primary entrance examination for admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, with over two million candidates sitting for the examination annually.

JAMB to Allow Candidates Use Personal Computers for UTME from 2027