According to Vanguard, the Registrar of the Board, Professor Ishaq
Oloyede stated this on Monday at the second technical committee meeting
on “2016 Admissions to Tertiary Institutions” held at the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri.
According to the Registrar, the meeting was principally aimed at
finding solution to the army of admission seekers who were admitted in
the first batch.
“The purpose of today’s meeting is essentially to consider
admissions of our teeming applicants who were not considered during the
first exercise. Your Excellency, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
kindly recall that at the two (2) previous meetings in Kano and Abuja, I
stated that the Board would cooperate with the various institutions in
carrying out the mandates of their respective Senates and Academic
Boards on admission matters. Therefore, the Board would not impose
candidates on them but, as a referee, would ensure that no applicant is
unjustifiably denied the opportunity of access to tertiary institutions
in Nigeria,” said Oloyede in his opening remarks.
Oloyede noted that the Board will continue to get involve in
admission matters in a way that reflects national concern in a season of
change, devoid of corruption. This, he stated has already received the
blessings of the Education Minister and other education stakeholders
across the length and breadth of the country.
“In this respect, we should be seen in a conspicuous and proven
manner that we have the interest of the nation in mind in carrying out
our statutory functions. I am pleased to note that we adhered to all the
decisions reached at the 2016-Policy Meeting chaired by our effective
and efficient Honorable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu,” he said adding that as “expected
of any responsible institution under a national dispensation that is
uncompromisingly averse to corruption and lack of transparency, no
review of any policy will be selective, sectional or an under the
table-deal.”
On the controversial minimum cut-off mark for admission into
tertiary institution, Oloyede said time had come to review same; noting
that uniformity across board should not be encouraged, arguing that
since the various institutions award different categories of
certificates; same cut-off mark is untenable.
His words: “Let me in this connection, address the issue of the
minimum national cut-off mark which is normally decided at the Policy
Meetings. By way of information, the Policy Meeting is one that
comprises the Honourable Minister of Education as the Chairman, the
Heads of Regulatory Bodies in the Education Sector such as NUC, NBTE,
NABTEB, NCCE, the Heads of Tertiary Institutions, the Board and other
Stakeholders. It was at this meeting that a decision of 180 as the 2016
National cut-off mark was reached. However, many Institutions, though
part of the decision, have expressed concern on their inability to
effect this cut-off mark as they are finding it difficult to fill a
reasonable percentage of their quota if the rule is strictly applied ….”
For the ex-Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, the inability of
some institutions to fill their admission quota due to the strict
implementation of the 180 minimum cut-off mark is a disservice to the
nation’s quest for expansion of education as a tool of change and
development.
“As a Board, we have studied the trend of admissions and have
come up with a finding that hardly do the institutions collectively fill
their quota annually. Indeed, in some cases, up to 50% of approved
quota is wasted particularly by upright institutions which do not
circumspect the rule. Unfortunately, a large number of institutions
flagrantly disregarded the cut-off and many other policies. Yet they
found a way to eventually regularize the illegal admissions through
corrupt process,” the JAMB boss further added.
Apparently to send a warning to his staff, Oloyede stated that even
before he assumed duties at the Board, his predecessor had sanctioned
those found to have been complicit in shady admission practices.
“Shortly before my assumption of office, twelve officials of
JAMB who had conspired with officials of some institutions to abuse the
regularization process were dismissed from service,” adding that JAMB “has insisted on total recovery of millions of Naira involved in the deal.”
JAMB, he said has collated the requests from the various Senates
and Academic Boards and have made our pleas known to appropriate
authorities.
The former VC also expressed joy in the fact that though the initiative is only a few months old, change is already being felt.
“Just this morning we received a green light on flexible
cut-off mark only for institutions which have exhausted the list of
candidates with180 and above, subject, of course to a minimum acceptable
to JAMB and meeting of other pre requisites. In addition we have re
opened the portal for change of institutions and courses so that
institutions and candidates can legitimately without any need for
regularization, effect change of course at the point of entry rather
than National Youth Service Corps, NYSC- inspired regularization with
attendant abuse. I have given a personal and official assurance to NYSC
that all abuse/loopholes have been blocked,” he stressed.
On the need to be service-driven, the JAMB boss noted that a lot
still need to be done, saying a lot has evolved over the years; more
still need to be done.
He said, “Service delivery is aimed at improving the value of
services rendered. As a Board, we are reviewing the process of some of
our service delivery platforms to the public aimed at enhancing our
services to the public in line with international best practices that
will eliminate some of the difficulties our clients go through in
accessing our services. The Board has therefore created on-line
platforms for such services as purchase of application documents, change
of course/institution, correction of data, etc.”, adding that “the
platform provides for all the services candidates may require from the
Board without increasing the service charge. It is no longer required of
any applicant to travel to Bwari for any of the services. They are on
line. Help desks on line, have also been opened. The beauty of it is
that Heads of Institutions are directly involved in these processes
because of the need to ensure transparency, accountability and
completely eradicate abuses that were prevalent in the old order.”
In the years ahead, Oloyede said Nigerians would be proud of JAMB
in their service to the country even as he prayed for the cooperation
and understanding of all and sundry in the task of making the Board
better than he met it.
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