The Honourable Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu has said that “the Senate and Academic Board of each institution is hereby allowed to exercise its autonomy to determine the parameters for the process and selection of candidates in addition to the results of the UTME.”
The Honourable Minister of Education warned higher institutions to reframe from conducting another admission test similar to JAMB’s UTME. Malam Adamu proposed an aptitude test with a fee not exceeding two thousand naira (N2, 000) which must be corrupt free.
The Honourable Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu also commended the Registrar for the innovations he had introduced in the conduct of the UTME and for the prudent manner he had managed the resources of the Board. He expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Board.
The Minister, who recalled the reaction that trailed the ban on post UTME last year, apologized for the decision and stated that universities were allowed to conduct post UTME. He said that government was working hard at expanding access to university education through the establishment of more universities and the increase of carrying capacity as well. He gave the assurance that with the efforts and measures being put in place by government, a good number of applicants would be admitted in the current admission process.
The HME commended JAMB leadership for contributing the sum of Five billion, one hundred and seventy million, five hundred and eighty thousand two hundred and ninety seven naira eighty kobo (N5177,580, 297.08) to the federation account. “this unprecedented development is the result of accountability, transparency, honesty and patriotism in the reinvented Board and the integrity of the new Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede. You have made all of us proud” he concluded.
Speaking at the policy meeting on admission to tertiary institutions in Nigeria attended by members of the policy Committee including Vice-Chancellors of Universities, Rectors of Polytechnics and Provosts of Colleges of Education last Tuesday, the Registrar of the Board, Professor Ishaq Oloyede said that the need to set a realistic cut off mark was born out of the fact that over the years about 40% of applicants who scored 200 and above in JAMB did not posses the five O level credits required for admission. This, he said indirectly affected the qualified candidates who scored less than 200 but possessed the basic admission requirement. He said that the individual university Senate and academic Boards were allowed to set their individual cut off marks.
He observed that all over the world there is the demand for a dynamic and flexible educational policy that allows qualified student gain admission without hitches adding that the Board had taken steps to ensure that only qualified students who possessed the required five credits were offered admission. He said that a situation where students with awaiting WAEC and NECO results were offered admissions that were not utilised would no longer be encouraged.
It was on this note that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has in consultation with stakeholders set a minimum of 120 as the national cut off marks for universities 100 for Polytechnics and colleges of Education as well as 110 for Innovative Enterprise Institutions.
The Registrar said that the era of irregular admission was over as the Board would no longer condone any request for regularisation of students who were admitted illegally. He advised the institutions to disclose all irregularities to enable the JAMB resolve them once for all. He disclosed that the process of admission has now being automated with the introduction of the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS). He explained that the system would ease the challenges associated with Admission.
He said that admissions into public degree awarding institutions for the 2017 UTME examination will end on December 15, 2017 while for private universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Innovation Enterprise Institutions would ends on January 31, 2018.
Also, decisions on first choice candidates by universities will end on October 15, and second choice candidates will end on December 15. This, he explained, was to enable the Private Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges Of Eduation and Innovation Enterprise institutions be able to shop for the available students.
Professor Oloyede encouraged universities, especially public universities to make conscious efforts to reflect the universality of its name and the federal character system by admitting students from all states of the federation as well as international students. He said a situation were over 50% of students in a public university came from a particular state and geopolitical zone was unhealthy for a university.
The JAMB Registrar appealed to all stakeholders to assist the Board to serve the public better adding that the Board was only a clearing house that ensured that only qualified students were admitted into tertiary institutions. He called on all heads of tertiary institution not to be sentimental in the admission of students. He also called on relevant authorities and stakeholders to make education a priority in order to ensure national development.
In his good will message, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Rasheed, mni, MFR, commended the Registrar for the “giant stride and innovation introduced that stand out the Board in our common resolve to forge ahead for the development of education in Nigeria.” He commended the Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts as well as stakeholders for their commitment in coordinating the affairs of their various institutions, thereby adding value to the system. At the Meeting were the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka; Heads of Agencies, Directors of JAMB and NUC.