The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has opposed 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 further weaken standards in teacher education.

NUT National President, Audu Amba, made the union’s position known on Tuesday in Abuja during a sensitisation workshop for teachers organised by 21st Century in collaboration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

Amba expressed concern over what he described as a steady decline in the quality of candidates entering colleges of education, noting that higher-performing students now tend to favour universities, leaving education colleges as last-choice institutions.

He warned that the trend poses a long-term threat to the quality of teaching in Nigeria, arguing that entry into the profession should attract some of the country’s strongest academic candidates.

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

“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 added.

According to him, removing UTME requirements could worsen the perception of teaching as a fallback profession and further reduce its attractiveness to high-performing students.

In her keynote address, the Registrar of the TRCN, Dr Ronke Soyombo, called for urgent reforms to reposition teachers for the demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy.

She stressed the need for educators who are technologically skilled, innovative and professionally competent to prepare learners for modern workplace demands.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, represented by Dr Iyabo Ali, also emphasised continuous capacity building for teachers, noting that global competitiveness requires constant upskilling in digital and innovative competencies.

Other stakeholders at the event, 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 and improved working conditions in the education sector.

Senator Moro raised concern over the poor state of infrastructure in schools, warning that more than 70 percent of educational institutions lack adequate learning facilities.

He cautioned that the widening gap between teachers and their working environment poses a serious risk to Nigeria’s educational foundation and long-term development.