JAMB urges tertiary institutions to begin post-UTME, admission processes September 7

*Change of date informed by need to accommodate candidates writing this year’s SSCE ─Prof. Ishaq Oloyede

*Withholds results of UTME ‘candidates’ at Correctional Service centres over suspected infractions

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Determined to accommodate candidates taking part in this year’s school-based West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (post-UTME) screening for 2020 admission processes will now commence September 7, 2020, in the nation’s universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

ConsumerConnect gathered that the Board’s latest shift in date of the admission processes from the earlier announced August 21 was informed by the need to allow participation of candidates writing the 2020 school-based Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE).

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, disclosed this after a consultative virtual meeting with Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts of tertiary education institutions in the country.

Prof. Oloyede said: “The view of JAMB is that while we go on consulting, at a point when it becomes necessary for decision, we should all come together and take decision. Presently, as you are aware, WAEC starts the Senior School Certificate Examination on August 17, it will go on till September 7.

“Similarly, on the September 21 or thereabout, NABTEB will commence its own examination that will go on till October 15, and immediately after that, NECO starts on the 5th and will hold till November 18.

According to JAMB Registrar, “rather than making candidates run, particularly, when they will have to write their school certificate exams in different towns and rush to university elsewhere for post-UTME, like somebody rushing from Sokoto to Ibadan for post-UTME, we believe, as a custodian of the highest sector of the education system, we should avoid that.”

Institutions whose post-UTME screening is mandatory for candidates would have to spread such exercise in two phases, he urged the heads of tertiary institutions.

“For those (institutions) who want to take post-UTME, that cannot be earlier than the September 7, it will be held twice- September 7 to October 4, and then, it will be held for the second time on November 18 to mop up those who are taking their school certificate examination.”

He noted that institutions that conduct admissions without the administration of any post-UTME screening should also ensure that candidates whose SSCE results will be released towards the end of the year are not denied participation in the exercise.

Oloyede also disclosed that Board has withheld results of candidates that sat for this year’s UTME at Correctional Service centres (prisons) over suspected infractions.

“There are candidates who took exams in the prison yard that we know are not prisoners.

“So, we wrote to the correctional centres to explain how that happens, because we didn’t want non-prisoners to take advantage of the concessions we give to inmates.”

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