We’ll okay admissions after varsities’ screening — JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has given condition for the 2016 admissions, saying it will only give approval “after appropriate screening of the candidates by the institutions.”

The Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, said this in a statement on Sunday.

Ojerinde said, “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board wishes to state that the latest list of candidates sent to all the tertiary institutions contains candidates who qualified for screening based on the individual institution’s capacity. It’s not in any way an admission list.

“However, if this list is not sufficient for the need of any institution, such institution can source from the omnibus printout earlier sent to them by the board. The public and all tertiary institutions should note that admission will only be approved by the board after appropriate screening of the candidates by the institutions.

“The list, which is made up of candidates, who met the national cut-off point within the set criteria, is sent to the institutions. Again, for purposes of clarity, all institutions that have need for more can source from their omnibus printout as stated above. The candid intention of the board is to ensure that available spaces are adequately utilised.”

The Federal Government had, on Saturday, clarified its ban on Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and the general admission procedure.

It said it “does not in any way affect the statutory role of the Senate of any university or the academic board of any tertiary institution conducting its admissions.”

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, also made the clarification in a statement by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Education, Mr. Ben. Bem-Goong.

He said the clarification became necessary “following conflicting reports in the media over the roles of universities and JAMB in admission under the new dispensation.”

According to him, the role of JAMB is to conduct the UTME, compile the list of candidates whose scores meet the cut-off marks (180 and above) and send same to the universities.

The institutions, he emphasised, would shortlist the candidates, using the agreed guidelines and thereafter return the shortlisted candidates to JAMB for verification of compliance with the guidelines and issuance of JAMB admission letters.

“For the avoidance of doubt, any screening charges shall apply only to successful candidates, who have been issued admission by the universities of their choice,” Adamu stated.

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, has said the Senate of universities in the country should be responsible for setting standards for admissions into their institutions.

Garba stated this while answering questions at the News Agency of Nigeria forum in Abuja.

The vice-chancellor faulted the situation where JAMB and the Ministry of Education set standards for admission into the university.

Garba stated, “Universities have autonomy by law; each university should set its criteria for taking students.

“But of course, JAMB and the ministry are saying that because it is our country, we must have a policy that regulates, so that we have a good balance but not on quality.

“A university Senate is supposed to set standard for accepting students that it takes and trains and graduates.

“We are hoping that very soon, we will resolve this matter because it is getting more and more embarrassing.

“Even the state universities have told the Federal Government that education is in the concurrent list in the constitution.

“The Federal Government has no control and should not have control over a state university; they have a council appointed by the governor.

“They can only fulfil NUC’s standard requirements, but not admission quota.’’

The ABU vice-chancellor explained that the minister’s directive, leading up to the scrapping of the post-UTME, had created an impasse in universities as they had yet to begin admissions.

According to him, universities could not take the products of JAMB without further testing them.

He said that universities, being the recipients of the candidates, should be able to select those they could train.

Garba added, “We found it, as universities, that the post-UTME tests are the best to get the best. JAMB is only trying to improve, but still not perfect to a point that we can trust.

“Post-UTME has a history; even when it started, JAMB encouraged us to do it. JAMB is improving, but it is not yet there because every year, we receive these products and we see what they are.”

He said that in 2016, ABU had 49,000 applicants, who scored above 180 points while its admission capacity was 6,500.