The Nation Newspaper

Tag: JAMB

  • 2017 UTME: JAMB, NECO, WAEC, NABTEB harmonise examination time-table

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Tuesday said it has agreed on a harmonised time-table with other examination bodies ahead of 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The decision, the board said, would lead to a hitch free examination.

    The board at a brainstorming meeting with the National Examination Council (NECO), West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Business and Technical Examination (NABTEB) held at JAMB’s headquarters in Abuja unanimously agreed to harmonise the examination timetable because of the candidates’ desire for qualitative tertiary education.

    The Spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in a statement late on Tuesday night in Abuja, said the harmonised examination timetable had put to rest problems arising from overlapping of examination dates which would have disenfranchised a sizeable number of candidates from writing the examination.

    “At the end of the brainstorming session, the bodies resolved that WAEC would speak to all its authorities that from 2018, between March and April, for a window of two weeks be created where all other examinations that have nothing to do with Nigeria will be held so as to allow a window for JAMB to conduct its examination,” the statement said.

    According to the statement, the examination bodies agreed that for the purpose of the 2017 UTME, JAMB would shift its examinations to allow students face WAEC, NECO and NABTEB.

    “However, a 10-day window for JAMB’S UTME has been created by all examination bodies for JAMB to conduct its examination. In view of this, JAMB will soon announce the commencement of sale of the 2017/2018 admission forms for UTME and Direct Entry (DE).

    “JAMB emphasises the fact that whoever is presently collecting any money in the name of JAMB form should be reported to the police or any other security agency as fraudster,” the statement added.

     

  • NYSC, JAMB set up committee to regularise admission

    NYSC, JAMB set up committee to regularise admission

    THE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) have agreed to set up a committee to address issue of abuse of regularisation of admission by corps producing institutions.
    It followed a complaint by the NYSC management to JAMB alleging irregularities in the process, thereby making mobilisation of prospective corps members difficult.
    “In view of the abuse the regularisation of admissions has been subjected, JAMB should revise the window of post-graduation regularisation by introducing measures that will make it impossible for institutions to abuse the process,” NYSC stated in a letter to JAMB.
    It is now mandatory for all graduates to be cleared by JAMB before qualifying for mobilisation by the NYSC.
    During a meeting of the two agencies in Abuja, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, confirmed the allegation, but noted that the board had taken measure to address the issue.
    Quoting the NYSC letter, Oloyede lamented the rate some students were desperate to regularise their admission.
    “A new template has been designed by the board for all candidates, who need to be regularised and is to be completed online.
    “After completing the forms online, a candidate will print an indemnity form, which must be endorsed by his / her Vice Chancellor/Rector/Provost and submitted to the state JAMB office. This is to ensure that only genuinely admitted candidates are regularised,” he said.
    The don added that from the last quarter of 2016, the board received 953 applications for change of date of birth with 77 out of it approved.
    It also received 68 applications for change of state/local government area with 39 applications approved.
    The board got 518 applications for correction of name and 423 approved.
    NYSC Director General Brig-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure solicited the cooperation of JAMB to have access to the number of students admitted on yearly basis.
    He supported the idea of a tripartite meeting of JAMB, NYSC and National Universities Commission (NUC) to address some irregularities.
    Brig-Gen. Kazaure stated that it was unfortunate that some institutions were sending part-time graduates for mobilisation.

  • JAMB, others to fine-tune examination schedules

    JAMB, others to fine-tune examination schedules

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is set to meet with heads of other public examination bodies to fine-tune examination schedules in order to avoid infringement on its examinations.

    The Head, Media and Information of the  board, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, gave the hint in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos.

    Benjamin stated that the board was determined to address “myriad of challenges confronting public examinations in the country’’.

    He said the board was yet to roll out its applications for 2017 UTME because it was working to improve on the conduct of its examination.

    “You cannot do things the same way and expect different result.

    “This year, we shall improve on a lot of things to get better results.

    “However, we are mindful of the fact that there will be challenges accepting new directions of doing things by candidates.

    “There will be improvement in our new payment platform, process of change of name; change of course; change of institution and others.

    “This also applies to other difficulties that may arise in our attempt to improve on the entire process, which we have resolved to tackle.

    “To make this feasible, the board had started working with other examination bodies to achieve a holistic result for the Nigerian child desirous of sound education,’’ Benjamin stated.

    He stated that in view of the above, the board had slated a meeting with the Head of National Office (HNO) of WAEC,  the Registrars of NECO and NABTEB, scheduled  for Tuesday, Jan. 17.

    The meeting is expected to come out with a suitable time table that will not infringe on other examinations.

  • JAMB directs varsities to stick to core mandate

    JAMB directs varsities to stick to core mandate

    The Federal Government has directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to delete specialised courses or programmes being offered by universities of technologies and universities of agriculture from its portal.

    It directed the specialised universities to stick to their core mandates, which they were set up to carry and desist from running programmes, which had no bearing on their responsibilities.

    Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu gave the directive in a statement  yesterday in Abuja by JAMB’s Head of Information Dr. Fabian Benjamin.

    The government, which stated that it observed that some of these universities of agriculture and technology had derailed from their responsibilities by running the programmes they were not created for, warned candidates billed to seat for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) not to be deceived into choosing such programmes as they were illegal and are not provided for in the brochure.

    The statement reads: “Government notes the unfortunate situation where Universities of Agriculture offer programmes in law, management courses such as accounting, banking and finance, business administration among others. As if that was not enough, some institutions change the nomenclature of some of the courses to read for instance banking engineering, accounting technology, among other names. This is an aberration and should be stopped with immediate effect.

    “Specialised universities are universities set up to pursue specific courses/ programmes to steer the need of manpower in a particular sector of the economy. Some of these specialised institutions include universities such as Universities of Agriculture, Universities of Technologies, Universities of Medicine, among others. The Federal Government has observed that these institutions have derailed from their statutory responsibility, thereby running programmes that are antithetical to their mandates.

    “In view of this ugly development, the Minister of Education has directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board to delete all such courses on its portal and all candidates desirous of sitting for the 2017 Universities Tertiary Matriculations Examination are advised not to be hoodwinked into such programmes as they are illegal and are not provided for in our brochure.”

    JAMB said it has not started the sale of 2017 UTME forms as it was being alleged.

    The board, which urged candidates to exercise patience, said the delay in selling the form was due to its desire to reduce the challenges associated with the conduct of the examination.

    “Again, the board will want to state that it has not commenced the sales of the 2017 UTME application documents. Candidates are urged to exercise patience as JAMB is putting final preparations towards commencing the sales.”

  • CBT, Sterling Bank partner on JAMB registration

    CBT, Sterling Bank partner on JAMB registration

    Computer –Based Test Centre Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (CPAN), an association of Computer Based Test owners in Nigeria, announced its partnership with Sterling Bank Plc, for the seamless registration of students ahead of 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    The appointment of the bank is based on its laudable contributions towards the development of the education sector in Nigeria and the impact on the major stakeholders across the value chain.

    The association’s Chairman, Sage Udebuami who disclosed the appointment of that bank at a press conference in Abuja, said the decision of the association to partner with Sterling Bank was also based on its capacity, commitment and provision of infrastructure needed for the consistent growth of the sector, especially in the last three years.

    His words: “It is a known fact that we have our challenges. To help checkmate these challenges, we have decided to look in the direction of Sterling Bank. We are confident that with its robust IT platform that suits the new model recently introduced by JAMB for adoption by our members, seamless process for the registration of students sitting for JAMB next year is guaranteed”.

  • Students to effect course changes at JAMB – LASU

    Students to effect course changes at JAMB – LASU

    Newly admitted students of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo who changed the courses they earlier applied for, have been advised to effect such changes immediately at JAMB’s website.‎

    ‎‎The information is contained in a statement by the Registrar of LASU, Mr Akinwunmi Lewis, in Lagos on Wednesday.

    The statement said that the affected students were those admitted newly for the 2016/2017 academic session.

    It explained that the change of course would cost N2, 500 and that the money should be paid directly to JAMB online.‎
    ‎
    The statement advised students to comply with the directive within 48 hours before Nov. 30, to enable JAMB process and release the admission letters of such candidates.
    ‎
    “This directive is compulsory and should be strictly adhered to, failure which, the candidate’s admission shall be withdrawn.” ‎
    ‎
    The statement said that complying with directive was a pre-condition for clearance and registration for the affected students.

  • 80% not qualified to write JAMB, says Registrar

    80% not qualified to write JAMB, says Registrar

    •Jega identifies bad leadership, others as bane of higher education

    THE Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has derclared that 80 per cent of the 1.5 candidates, who apply to write JAMB examination annually do not have the qualifications to sit for it.
    Oloyede added that 40 per cent of candidates, who pass JAMB annually, did not have the qualification to study in the university.
    He spoke at the 2016 Nigeria Higher Education Summit with the theme: “Exploiting diversity, differentiation and quality assurance in revitalising the Nigerian higher education system,” in Abuja.
    The event was organised by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Federal Universities in collaboration with Trust Africa.
    “Forty per cent of them do not have qualification. They may pass JAMB, but they do not have the O’Level requirements to go into the universities.
    “By the time you mop up the whole thing, what will remain is not this big figure (1.5 million) that gives us the type of shameful statistics you parade all over Africa,” he said.
    Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega identified leadership crisis and the misplacement of priorities as some of the banes of Nigeria’s higher education.
    Jega, who was the chairman of the summit and a former vice chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, identified instability, turmoil in universities and lack of focus, as other challenges facing higher education.
    He also acknowledged poor funding as one of the problems facing higher education in the country.
    The former INEC chair called for adequate funding of the sector to enable the universities to contribute to national growth.
    According to him, some of the innovations and development in education in developed countries were yet to materialise in Nigeria and Africa because of some of the challenges facing the country and the continent.
    He said: “Nigeria in particular, our higher education has been characterised by misplaced priorities, by instability, by turmoil and of course by clear lack of focus by those who are supposes to direct national and public affairs and to help ensure that education contributes to the transformation of our national economy as well as making us competitive in the global economy.
    “Since 1980, we have been struggling; we have been trying, persuading to get our leaders to give the priority that higher education requires, education in general and higher education in particular.”
    Also, the Secretary General of Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Michael Faborode, said the researches done by Nigerian universities needs to be celebrated.
    “Let us appreciate these things and let us bring them to the fore so that we will not just be mourning over the challenges alone; let us celebrate the successes,” he added.

  • Imo tops annual JAMB application list, says Oloyede

    Imo tops annual JAMB application list, says Oloyede

    The Registrar/Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has said Imo State has been on top of the board’s applications since 2012.

    Prof. Oloyede spoke yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, when he visited Governor Rochas Okorocha with his team.

    The JAMB chief, who was in the state for the board’s second technical committee meeting for admission to tertiary institutions, noted that in 2012, Imo State had 123,865 applications to stay on top of the table, followed by Delta State with 88,876.

    He recalled that in 2013, the state recorded 134,610, followed by Delta State with 101,610 applications.

    Oloyede said Imo State, last year, recorded 104,382 applications to maintain the first position, while Delta State came second with 78,856 applications.

    This year, the JAMB chief said, Imo State got 104,383, followed by Delta State with 78,854.

  • JAMB gets nod to reduce admission cut-off marks

    Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede said yesterday that the board has been given the go-ahead to reduce the cut-off marks of institutions which have exhausted their list of candidates with 180 and above.

    He said JAMB had collated requests from the Senates and Academic Boards of institutions and had made such plea known to the appropriate authorities.

    Oloyede said this in a speech delivered during the Second Technical Committee Meeting on the 2016 Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria at the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State.

    He said many institutions who were part of the decision to adopt the 180 minimum benchmark during the 2016-Policy Meeting chaired by Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu were finding it difficult to admit candidates.

    Oloyede said a large number of the institutions, particularly the budding ones, had applied for a waiver to enable them admit candidates, who in some instances, scored below 180 marks.

    He said: “Just this morning, we received a green light on flexible cut-off mark only for institutions, which have exhausted the list of candidates with 180 above, subject, of course to a minimum acceptable to JAMB and meeting of other pre-requisite.

     

  • 70 per cent admission quota not filled in five years, says JAMB

    70 per cent admission quota not filled in five years, says JAMB

    Tertiary institutions in Nigeria have not been able to successfully fill 70 per cent of their admission quotas in five years, according to Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.

    Oloyede spoke when Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, led by its chairman, Senator, Jibrin Barau, visited the headquarters of JAMB on an oversight function in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He explained that the adoption of uniform (180) cut-off mark as a minimum benchmark for admission into tertiary institutions by the Federal Government had consistently kept candidates, who are qualified, but with less cut off points on the street.

    This challenge, he said, if not addressed by the government, would continue to pose a problem for candidates seeking tertiary education.

    He insisted that tertiary institutions should be allowed to determine their cut-off points based on the number of candidates that applied to each institution for admission.

    Oloyede said: “Every year, we do not meet 70 per cent of the quota contrary to what people think that there are more people than the existing places. We have in the last five years, not filled 70 per cent of the quota. We need to ask a question, why? The simple answer is: a mismatch.”

    He said the 180 cut off mark benchmark had never been obeyed by any tertiary institutions despite its adoption by the government.

    “We are saying that when we set up this admission requirement, and standard, we say 180 is the minimum for colleges of education, for polytechnics and universities. But we know that is not realistic.

    “I can say it without any doubt that it has never been obeyed. It is only obeyed in the papers. When you talk about the practice of it, there are hundreds of people in our universities, polytechnics and colleges of education that have not gone through JAMB.

    “The reason is that we are setting standards that cannot be obeyed. They (universities, polytechnics and colleges of education) will now go through the back door and recruit people with 160, 150, 140 and some who did not take JAMB at all because you have made 180 the minimum.

    He said JAMB has resolved the issue of who had the powers to admit candidates with the universities.

    According to him, the powers to admit candidates reside with the Senate and Academic Board of an institution.

    Barau (APC-Kano) said the delegation was at the JAMB office on oversight duty.

    He expressed satisfaction with the registrar’s performance so far since his assumption of office.