- Prof. Oloyede urged parents and candidates to report UTME admission issues to JAMB
- He stressed CAPS ensures transparency, with no reported problems since 2017
- JAMB strengthened verification of degrees and direct entry programmes to curb forgery
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has urged parents and candidates to raise concerns if they believe their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) scores merit admission, but they have not been offered placement in their desired institutions.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, made the appeal during an interview on Good Morning Nigeria, a programme on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). In a video released by NTA on Tuesday, he emphasised that many parents still resort to illegal means because they feel “there is no other path” after having “climbed the ladder to illegality.”
“People are so daring, and the parents, because they have climbed the ladder to illegality, they believe there is no other way,” Prof. Oloyede said. “I’ve seen many people who sent their children’s scores to me and asked what they could do. I tell them I will do nothing, and the candidate is admitted—and they thank me. I did nothing.”
The registrar highlighted the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) as a key factor in ensuring fairness and transparency in the admission process. He encouraged parents and candidates to report any discrepancies: “If you are sure of yourself, you have a score, and you know that you ought to be admitted and you are not admitted, protest to us because CAPS has made everything easy.”
Prof. Oloyede added that CAPS has operated without reported issues since 2017 and is fully capable of managing admissions without interference or errors.
On direct entry, he revealed that JAMB has strengthened verification processes for various programmes, making it nearly impossible for candidates to forge results. “Since 2023, annually, the rates had gone down. Many people are no longer applying for direct entry because they know we are supervising thoroughly,” he noted.
He also confirmed that degrees presented for admission, including foreign qualifications, are now verified with awarding institutions. “This year, we had about four or five cases where foreign institutions reported that the degree presented was not theirs. That’s why we made one of the gurus of the universities to help us not to be diverted.”
Prof. Oloyede’s remarks underscore JAMB’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and stringent verification to prevent malpractice in Nigeria’s tertiary admission system.
“Misplaced priority”: Nigerians react as FG bans admission for under-18 candidates
Meanwhile, in an earlier report, TheRadar gathered reactions from Nigerians as the federal government announced a ban on admission for underage candidates into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Stakeholders protested against the ban, and the minister agreed that the ban would be enforced in 2025. Nigerians believed it was an effort by the government to frustrate citizens further.