2018/2019 university admission: Federal government issues new guidelines

macfranc007 June 28, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Nurudeen Lawal

- The federal government urged the Nigerian universities to ensure transparency in the admission process for 2018/2019 academic year

- The government also told the institutions not to process any application for admission without JAMB's involvement

- It also instructed JAMB to reactivate the practice of publishing National Matriculation List

The federal government has urged the Nigerian universities and other relevant institutions to ensure transparency in the admission process for 2018/2019 academic year.

It said no admission to any tertiary institution should be announced before the policy meeting.

These decisions were conveyed by the minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu, to stakeholders at the 2018 Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) at Bola Babalakin Auditorium in Gbongan, Osun state, The Nation reports.

Adamu said: “Ladies and Gentlemen, please let these qualities of cardinal pillars to include transparency, honesty, sincerity, equity, loyalty, integrity and commitment to nation building be our guiding principles.

“Therefore, we should be dissuaded from doing any official business under the table. Heads of Tertiary Institutions are encouraged to institutionalise the enumerated qualities.

“Some of you carry out your duties with full understanding and knowledge that some of your actions cannot stand the test of integrity, as some of the infractions you endorse and approve are irregular.

“A lot of revelations laced with observed lapses with documentary evidence had been brought to my attention. We have extensively consulted and I urge each institution to abide by all regulations you have agreed to put into reality.”

The minister also announced the cessation of irregular admission into varsities and other institutions.

He said: “Pursuant to the spirit and letter of the enabling law of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, all applications for admissions to First Degree, National Diploma, National Innovative Diploma and the Nigeria Certificate in Education must be processed only through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). These include Full Time, Distance Learning, Part-Time, Outreach, Sandwich, etc.

“Applications for programmes for the listed certification by individual institutions should stop. While institutions can and should screen candidates, duplication of applications form is not allowed.

“I have directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to fully ensure compliance with this policy directive and to issue clear guidelines to all concerned.

“The duration of all non-full time studies must be maintained as approved by the regulatory agencies, and this is generally not less than one hundred and fifty percent (150%) of the equivalence of full time.”

He pleaded with VCs, Rectors and Provosts to adhere to the decisions of the policy meeting on admission into higher institutions.

He added: “Therefore, no admission to any Tertiary Institutions should be announced before the Policy Meeting. It is appreciated that the meeting is being held early enough for the commencement of the new session.

“The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board should ensure that the Policy Meeting is now held not later than June every year.

“At the 2017 Policy Meeting, I endorsed that any institution which was interested in conducting any form of Post-UTME screening could do so, but that the gross charge for the screening should not be more than N2,000. Once again, let me caution Heads of Tertiary Institutions that it would not be tolerated for any institution to charge any fee beyond the approved N2,000. Firmer sanctions than those of the last session shall be applied to cases of violation.”

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was also instructed to reactivate the practice of the production and publication of National Matriculation List.

The government, in addition, instructed all universities on temporary campuses to move to their permanent sites.

He said: “I enjoin Nigerians to go round the country and independently visit our institutions to see the level and volume of transformation and development that have been recorded within the last three years.

“We have ensured that abandoned projects have either been fully completed or are currently being completed. We have also started new projects in the various institutions. We have continued to license more tertiary institutions in order to expand access while the regulatory bodies have been empowered and supported to accredit more relevant programmes. Focus has been on programmes that would add value to the nation’s development.

“All Universities on temporary campuses have been directed to develop and move to their permanent sites with a lot of support from the Federal Government. We have achieved relative peace and harmony on most of the campuses. Our Universities are regaining their glories and the institutions are attracting international interest all over again.”

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NAIJ.com previously reported that the registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said that candidates who sat for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in foreign countries and in prisons are to be exempted from the post-UTME tests in the 2018 admission process.

Also to be exempted from the post-UTME are blind and deaf candidates.

Applicants lament bitterly over JAMB registration hassles - on NAIJ.com TV: