NUT Warns UTME Waiver for NCE Admissions Could Undermine Teacher Quality

The President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Titus Amba, warned that waiving the UTME requirement for NCE admissions could weaken teacher training standards. He spoke at the 21st Century Teachers Workshop in Abuja, organised with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. Amba said the union was not consulted before the policy announcement. He argued that lowering entry requirements sends the wrong signal about the seriousness of the teaching profession. He compared teaching to medicine and law, saying it demands rigorous training and proper screening. He noted that earlier teacher education included intensive practice and foundational training at the secondary level, which has since disappeared. Without standard entry evaluations, the public may question the credibility of future teachers. Amba urged the government to strengthen admission standards, improve teacher welfare and invest in infrastructure and digital access. He supports digital assessment but warned that students in disadvantaged communities risk being excluded without reliable facilities.

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