The Federal Ministry of Education has held talks with the Nigeria Union of Teachers over proposed reforms to the country's basic education system, including a plan to exempt candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education programmes from sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

The meeting, held at the Ministry's headquarters in Abuja, brought together the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Maruf Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and the President of the NUT.

Discussions centred on the Federal Government's proposal to waive UTME requirements, conducted by JAMB, for NCE bound candidates, alongside a separate review of plans to transition to a continuous 12 year basic and senior secondary education model.

Speaking after the engagement, Ahmad stated that the government would continue to engage critical stakeholders before implementing reforms aimed at repositioning the education sector.

She explained that the Ministry remains committed to policies that improve access to education, promote equity, enhance quality, and ensure the education system responds to emerging national needs, adding that consultations with teacher unions and other stakeholders remain central to the reform agenda.

The engagement forms part of ongoing consultations by the Federal Ministry of Education as it seeks broader support for reforms designed to improve teaching, learning, and access to education nationwide.