JAMB Warns Tertiary Institutions Against Illegal Admission of Underage and Diploma Students

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a strong warning to tertiary institutions in Nigeria, particularly universities, to cease the admission of underage students.

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a stern warning to tertiary institutions, particularly universities, to cease the admission of underage students.

The Board also cautioned against the illegal admission of diploma students.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, highlighted these issues at the seventh biennial conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria, held in Lagos on Tuesday. He emphasized that the illegal admission of underage and diploma students must be halted.

The Registrar stressed the importance of stopping these practices for the sake of accountability, data protection, and the integrity of the nation.

Oloyede recounted an incident involving a 15-year-old student who applied for a postgraduate course abroad.

“About two months ago, I received a letter from a European country seeking to verify if a student, who is 15 years old, actually graduated from a particular university and applied for a postgraduate course,” he said. “The question they asked was, ‘Is this possible in Nigeria?’ I had to call the Vice Chancellor of the institution, who confirmed the student’s graduation but noted that the student was not admitted by JAMB. He also mentioned that he was not the VC at the time of the student’s admission.”

Oloyede pointed out that state-owned universities need to address these issues, as they outnumber federal universities.

“Illegal admission of diploma students also needs to stop. Last year, we admitted 9,000 diploma students, and I was alarmed that about 3,000 came from a single university. We must all be accountable, as these acts can damage our education system,” Oloyede added.

Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, urged the pro-chancellors to develop a plan of action to make their institutions as competent and attractive as federal and private universities.

Gambari emphasized the importance of retaining top faculty and staff to attract the best students. “State-owned universities must carve out specific niches to exploit their comparative advantages, which will enhance their position. Successfully doing this will establish a foundation for brand creation and recognition,” he said.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, THE WILL