Major Educational Reform: Federal Government Mandates JAMB Takeover of HND Admissions to Curb Irregularities

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a sweeping policy reform directing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to take complete control of Higher National Diploma (HND) admissions across all polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide.

​The decision was officially disclosed in a circular dated September 9, 2026, issued by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje. The policy follows a high-level strategic meeting convened by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, alongside key educational heads from JAMB, NBTE, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and the Federal Ministry of Education. 

 The core components and objectives of the new admission framework include:

​Centralization to Protect NYSC Mobilization: For years, compromised or unapproved HND admissions conducted directly by individual polytechnics resulted in thousands of students being denied NYSC mobilization upon graduation. Bringing all HND entries under JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) ensures that every student's academic route is tracked, verified, and eligible for national service.  

​Formulation of Unified Guidelines: NBTE is developing comprehensive digital admission guidelines for JAMB. These guidelines will standardize the mandatory post-National Diploma (ND) industrial training (IT) waiting period and outline exemptions for specialized ND health-related fields.  

​Strict Cap on Part-Time ND Enrollment: With part-time ND admissions now integrated into JAMB's platform, the Federal Government has introduced a strict ceiling: part-time admissions in any institution can no longer exceed 50% of the institution’s approved full-time capacity.  

​Enforcement on NCE/HND Mobilization: Reaffirming an earlier directive issued on September 7, the government reiterated that candidates holding a combined NCE and HND credential remain barred from NYSC mobilization.  

​The Federal Ministry of Education is scheduled to publish a detailed public statement outlining full operational protocols for candidates, polytechnics, and administrative boards.