Direct Entry, UTME candidates to sit for same examination henceforth — JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said that Direct Entry (DE) candidates seeking to gain admission to Nigerian universities will henceforth be required to sit for the UTME along with other candidates.

JAMB said that the new policy was to ensure that the DE candidates justify the possession of their A’level certificates.

This is disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the board’s Head, Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr Fabian Benjamin, at the end of its management committee meeting.

He said the committee meeting was held to appraise the recent crisis witnessed in the conduct of the 2023 DE registration.

Benjamin said the policy change was also to holistically address all loopholes giving rise to abuses in the DE admission processes.

According to him, this policy is to be situated within the ambit of the board’s relentless efforts aimed at enhancing the growth of the nation’s education sector to promote transparency, accountability and good governance.

He said the development underscored the board’s commitment and determination towards changing the negative narrative of A’level admissions into higher institutions in Nigeria.

”The board has expressed its commitment to press ahead with its efforts to reposition the conduct of public examinations in Nigeria.

”The board stated that the seeming crisis was birthed by the implementation of some of its newly-adopted processes aimed at curbing infractions in the admission value chain given our national peculiarities.

”This policy is to be situated within the ambit of the Board’s relentless efforts aimed at enhancing the growth of the nation’s education sector as it would promote transparency, accountability and good governance,” he said.

He added that the board had again remitted N2 billion as its interim surplus for the 2023 operating year, saying more would be remitted as its operations for the years were completed.

He said this was in furtherance of the pledge by the Board Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede-led management, on assumption of duty to leverage on technology and discipline to manage the affairs of the board.

Since assuming office Prof. Oloyede-led management has remitted over N55 billion to the Federal Government coffers.

“This is far above the less than the N60 million remitted by the board in the 38 years of its existence prior to the appointment of Prof. Oloyede.

”On assumption of office of the current registrar, he had come up with a policy which holds that whatever would be done, must be on the table.

”This has changed the narratives such that JAMB now posts humongous returns to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

”These returns were bolstered by the board’s expanded internal capacities for its operations achieved through direct execution of its processes and procedures, which instantly resulted in, for instance, a savings of N1.2 billion being paid annually to a service provider.

”It also reflects a downward review of the N1.2 billion being annually paid to another to about N400 million with the same old service provider. This in addition to the recovery of over N1.2 billion in both cash and estates in choice areas of Abuja in 2016,” he said.

Benjamin added that the steps had ensured that the board, which had remitted cumulatively in its 40 years of existence about N55 million to the national treasury, rendered N7.8 billion in the first year of the assumption of office of Oloyede.

He said it had also contributed over N27 billion directly into the national treasury.

”The remitted amount is without prejudice to the 30 per cent reduction in its application fee (N10.8 billion in four years since the reduction).

”Capital Fund (N11 pbillion including N6 billion, which is yet to be committed), Annual Awards/Grants to tertiary institutions for Capital Projects (N1 billion) and Special Staff Welfare Scheme (N2 billion). This would aggregate the cumulative surplus to about N54 billion over the last six years,” he added.