Nigeria's foremost teachers' Union has rejected the Federal Government's decision to exempt National Certificate of Education candidates from sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, warning that the policy risks weakening academic standards in teacher training institutions.

The NUT National President, Mr Titus Amba, voiced the union's position on Thursday in Abuja during a press conference on education policy, arguing that colleges of education should attract only the most capable students to ensure quality teacher training and improved learning outcomes.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, had announced that NCE applicants would no longer be required to sit the UTME. Under the new policy, candidates with at least four O' Level credits would be screened directly, though registration with JAMB remains compulsory.

Amba warned that removing key testing points could undermine efforts to raise academic standards across teacher training Institutions.

"Education, especially at primary and secondary levels, is the bedrock of every profession. If we fail at that foundation, we fail at every other level of education in the country," he stated.

The NUT president argued that the government should instead make teaching more attractive through improved incentives and welfare packages, rather than lowering admission requirements.

"We have been advocating for better working conditions and welfare for Nigerian teachers, yet little progress has been made," he disclosed.

Amba pointed to Sweden and Finland as examples of countries that had strengthened their education systems by prioritising teacher welfare and pay. "They have invested heavily in education, particularly in teachers' welfare and working conditions," he noted, adding that Nigeria had the capacity to achieve similar results.

The union president also recalled unfulfilled promises made in 2020 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, which included improved incentives and a special salary structure for teachers.

"Go to the field and visit colleges of education, such as the one in Zuba, to see what has been implemented," Amba said, criticising policy inconsistency across successive administrations and noting that most promised reforms had not been fully realised.

He maintained that improving teachers' welfare, not admission waivers, remained the key to attracting quality candidates into the profession.