The Registrar/Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has cleared misconceptions about the operations of the Board, saying the function of JAMB starts with examination, admissions and ends with the matriculation of the students.
Oloyede spoke Tuesday in a keynote address at the ongoing 37th annual conference of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) held at the Trancorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja with the theme: Innovations in Education Assessment.
He pointed out that the idea of “Joint” in the name of the Board does not suggest abdication by the Senates/Academic Boards of tertiary institutions, who have roles to play in the placement of suitably-qualified candidates into higher institutions.
He said an amended law (Decree (Act) No. 33 of 1989) expanded the scope of JAMB’s operations and empowered it to conduct relevant examinations and admission, in collaboration with tertiary institutions, in such a way that no applicant would deprive others of admission to a tertiary institution.
Oloyede added that JAMB is empowered by the law to conduct matriculation examination for entry into all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education by whatever name they are called in Nigeria, including the appointment of examiners, moderators, invigilators, members of the subject panels, committees and other persons with respect to matriculation examinations and placing suitably qualified candidates in the tertiary institutions.
He further identified six conditions for placement of candidates into tertiary institutions; including the vacancies available in each tertiary institution, the guidelines approved for each institution by its proprietors or other competent authorities, the preference expressed or otherwise indicated by the candidates for certain institutions’ courses, other matters as the Board may be directed by the Minister of Education to consider or the Board itself may consider appropriate in the circumstances.
Other conditions include to 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, and to 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 the enabling law.
The Registrar reiterated that JAMB does not usurp the primary responsibility of Senate or Academic Board of the any institution in specifying its pre-requisites for admission.
Oloyede said the evidence of non-usurpation of the powers of the Senates or Academic Boards of institutions include dominance of institution-representatives on the Board, the specification of quorum of Governing Board meetings, the initial rotation of the chairmanship of the Governing Board among serving Vice-Chancellors, institution of national policy meeting of all tertiary institutions to formulate annually, admission policies and guidelines.
He explained that the roles of JAMB in admission are clear and include to ensure adherence to admission guidelines, the major national policy thrusts of admissions exercise to which the Board is covenanted to, for federal government-owned institutions is to reflect federal character of the nation.
