NBTE centralises HND admissions, caps part-time ND at 50%

The National Board for Technical Education has directed that all Higher National Diploma admissions in polytechnics, allied institutions, colleges of nursing sciences and health technology institutions be handled by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The directive was contained in a circular dated September 9, 2026, signed by the NBTE Executive Secretary, Prof Idris Bugaje, and addressed to rectors and provosts of the affected institutions.

According to the circular, the decision followed a meeting between the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and key stakeholders, including JAMB, the National Youth Service Corps, NBTE and the Federal Ministry of Education.

Bugaje said the move was aimed at establishing a centralised admission process and curbing what he described as “illegal and compromised admissions” that could jeopardise students’ mobilisation for the NYSC after completing their HND programmes.

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The circular stated, “All HND admissions in all institutions shall, from this session, be taken over by JAMB to provide a centralised process and avoid illegal and compromised admissions, jeopardising students’ mobilisation for NYSC after HND.”

It added that the Federal Ministry of Education would issue a statement on the new arrangement with further details.

The NBTE also directed that it would immediately develop HND Admission Guidelines and submit them to JAMB to guide the development of the digital admission platform.

The guidelines are expected to cover issues including the waiting period for National Diploma holders before proceeding to HND programmes, as well as exemptions for certain ND health-related programmes.

Reacting to the development, JAMB’s Head of Media and Information, Fabian Benjamin, said the board would comply with the directive.

“It’s a directive from above and ours is to comply to ensure that the good intentions of the government are achieved,” he said.

The NBTE also addressed part-time admissions, stating that with all part-time ND admissions now under JAMB, the proportion of part-time students in each institution would be capped at 50 per cent of its approved full-time quota.

The board further reaffirmed an earlier circular dated September 7 prohibiting the presentation of candidates holding a combination of NCE and HND qualifications for NYSC mobilisation.

Under the new arrangement, NCE holders seeking admission into HND programmes must obtain admission through “direct admission” via JAMB and first acquire a valid ND qualification before proceeding to HND studies.

The NBTE said only ND and HND certificates would be recognised as valid qualifications for NYSC mobilisation in such cases.

The board also disclosed that the Minister of Education would review the list of ND agriculture-related programmes whose candidates are exempted from the written Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, with a view to considering other programmes.

NBTE is expected to make a submission on the matter, while the Committee of Heads of Nigerian Polytechnics and Similar Institutions will provide input.

The board said the centralisation of admissions would ensure that candidates were admitted only into accredited programmes and within institutions’ approved carrying capacities.

“With digitisation, there shall be no hiding place for illegal admissions,” the board said.

The circular warned rectors and provosts of the affected institutions to ensure strict compliance with the directives, stressing that breaches would attract “appropriate regulatory sanctions, including withdrawal of operational licence.”

Meanwhile, Bugaje said the Minister of Education had approved the resolution of all outstanding cases involving legally admitted ND part-time and HND full-time candidates to enable them to be mobilised for NYSC as soon as possible.

He said the measure was in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.