JAMB asks varsities to comply with admission criteria

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has urged Federal Government-owned universities to comply with the criteria stipulated by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in admitting students. The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the call at the first technical committee meeting on 2016 admission to first choice institutions at Bayero University, Kano.

He also called on universities to focus on what would be beneficial to Nigerians.“For federal universities, the criteria stipulated by Federal Executive Council concerning merit, catchment and educationally-less developed states should be complied with,” he said.

Oloyede, who said the universities should not aggravate the burden of the masses yearning for higher education for active participation in public life, called for commitment, synergy and co-operation between the board and the institutions.

He said he would extend hands of fellowship to the institutions to advance national goals. The registrar, therefore, called on the institutions to ensure that the admission exercise was concluded before or by approved deadline of November 30, 2016.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Prof. Yahuza Bello, commended the Federal Ministry of Education for clarifying the admission process. It is gratifying to note that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has explained the admission process by saying that university Senates and academic boards of other tertiary institutions are responsible for the admissions,” he said.

He commended the registrar for bringing the meeting to the university, adding that it was the first time in the history of JAMB that a technical committee would take place in the university and in Kano city.

Meanwhile, JAMB has said it would not interfere with list of candidates sent by institutions for admissions by adding or removing names.The board, which said it was committed to ensuring that admissions are concluded within the approved deadline of November 30, 2016, warned against introducing new names from sources outside the list prepared and recommended by tertiary institutions.

The Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, who disclosed this during the meeting, said: “It must be made categorically clear that the task of JAMB is co-ordination and not substitution of the traditional responsibilities of the senates/academic boards of tertiary institutions. Consequently, no candidate must emanate from any other source (JAMB inclusive) outside the list prepared and recommended by the institutions. JAMB has the right to reject candidates for non-compliance with extant rules and regulations but will not be allowed to substitute or originate any name without the prior concurrence of the institutions.”