An X user identified as @Recruitment Pq has claimed that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will not be a requirement to secure admission into tertiary institutions.
The user ascribed the claim to the federal ministry of education, saying admissions into higher institutions will be based on secondary school certificate examination (SSCE) results.
In the now-deleted post, the user claimed equivalent qualifications of the SSCE will also be substituted to secure admissions.
The post was accompanied by a recent statement of the federal ministry of education.
“JAMB is no longer a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions, according to the Federal Ministry of Education,” the post read.
“Institutions will now decide admissions based on SSCE results and equivalent qualifications.”
The post has generated 552 likes, 176 shares, and 52 comments before it was deleted.
Another X user — @ArewaFactsZone — also shared the same claim.
Recently, the federal government announced a review of Nigeria’s tertiary school admission policy.
The federal government says mathematics is no longer a required subject for tertiary school admission seekers looking to study non-science courses.
The education ministry said the framework, including the non-compulsory nature of mathematics for admission to social science courses, applies to all tertiary schools.
Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, said the review is to “democratise access to tertiary education and empower Nigerian youths.”
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF JAMB
JAMB was established by Act No. 2 of 1978 of the federal military government.
In 1988, the federal executive council amended Decree No. 2 of 1978. The amendments have since been codified into Decree No. 33 of 1989, which took effect on December 7, 1989.
The responsibilities of JAMB include (a) conducting Matriculation Examination for entry into all Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education (by whatever name called) in Nigeria.
(b) appoint Examiners, Moderators, Invigilators, members of the Subject Panels and committees, and other persons with respect to matriculation examinations and any other matters incidental thereto or connected therewith.
(c) place suitably qualified candidates in the tertiary institutions after having taken into account:
(i) the vacancies available in each tertiary institution;
(ii) the guidelines approved for each tertiary institution by its proprietors or other competent authorities
(iii) the preference expressed or otherwise indicated by the candidates for certain tertiary institutions and courses
(iv) such other matters as the Board may be directed by the Honorable Minister to consider or the Board itself may consider appropriate in the circumstances.
(d) collate and disseminate information on all matters relating to admissions into tertiary institutions or any other matter relevant to the discharge of functions of the board.
(e) carry out other activities as are necessary or expedient for the full discharge of all or any of the functions conferred on it under or pursuant to this Decree.
These roles, however, include setting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for students seeking admission.
Also, tertiary institutions conduct their internal entrance examination, known as Post-UTME, with varied cut-off marks, for successful UTME candidates.
VERIFYING THE CLAIM
According to the new admission guideline, the government did not state that the JAMB procedure will no longer be relevant.
The government only adjusted the SSCE subject requirements for universities, polytechnics, or colleges of education admissions.
It stated that university admission seekers must attain a minimum of five credit passes in relevant subjects, including English, obtained in not more than two sittings.
Mathematics is mandatory for science, technology, and social science courses.
For polytechnics, a minimum of four credit passes is required in relevant subjects, including English for non-science courses and mathematics for science-related programmes.
At the HND level, a minimum of five credit passes are required in relevant subjects, including English Language and mathematics.
For colleges of education at NCE Level, a minimum of four credit passes in relevant subjects is required, with English mandatory for arts and social science courses.
Mathematics is required for science, vocational, and technical programmes.
Colleges of education for B.Ed. level will require a minimum of five credit passes, including English and mathematics, as applicable to the course of study.
Innovation enterprise academies, the policy stated, are to adopt the same minimum requirements as polytechnics for the ND programme.
The National Innovation Diploma (NID), it added, is henceforth abolished.
In a statement on Thursday, Alausa also dismissed the reports, describing them as “false and baseless”.
Alausa said the ministry neither issued nor authorised any statement suggesting that JAMB is no longer mandatory for university or other tertiary admissions.
“For the avoidance of doubt, JAMB remains the statutory and legally empowered body responsible for conducting entrance examinations and coordinating admissions into all tertiary institutions in Nigeria,” Alausa said.
“The established admission processes through JAMB remain fully operational, and any contrary information should be disregarded in its entirety.”
Alausa urged students, parents, and tertiary institutions to rely only on official communication channels of the ministry.
VERDICT
The claim that JAMB is no longer a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions is false.
