JAMB cut-off marks: We won’t be deterred – Oloyede

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) has re-assured that it would not be deterred by criticisms over the recent deduction in the cut-off marks for entry into the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country.

Th e Board in a statement issued yesterday by its Head, Media and Public Relations, Dr.

Fabian Benjamin, said it would rather remained focus in its eff orts to reorganise admission processes into tertiary institutions.

“We are where we are because many are afraid to say the truth for fear of being condemned, rather than being celebrated and set free as commanded by the Holy Books.

“Th is notwithstanding, JAMB will not be deterred, we will continue to say the truth as it is and support policies that would bring our education system out of the woods”, JAMB said.

Th e board said it had emphasised that despite the reduction of cut-off points from 180 for universities and 165 polytechnics, to now 120 and 100, respectively for the 2017 Unifi ed Tertiary Matriculations Examination (UTME), institutions were not under compulsion to accept that as their benchmarks for admission.

JAMB advised Nigerians to address the fl ight of citizens in glorifi ed secondary schools called foreign universities in places like country Ghana, Uganda, Gambia and others.

“To provide answers to all these challenges, stakeholders decided that institutions should be allowed to determine their cut-off marks according to their peculiarities and the quality and standards they want to be known for.

“All heads of tertiary institutions were requested to submit their cut off benchmark to the Board which will then be used for the admission.

And these benchmarks once determined cannot be changed in the middle of admission exercise.

Again, it is necessary to explain that the 120 mark does not in any way suggest that once you have 120 then admission is sure for you.

Institutions will admit from the top to the least mark.

“We are now starting the actually monitoring of adherence to admissions guidelines, cut-off marks inclusive.

Th e cut-off marks being branded by the public as previous cutoff mark were never strictly followed by most institutions.

Th e institutions were going behind to admit candidates with far less with others admitting candidates who never sat for JAMB.

Th is act to say the least is very distasteful and damaging to our national data and identity.

“In years past, admissions were done with worst cut-off marks.

We are determined and ready to correct all these with the 2017 exercise.

JAMB has designed a Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) to check back-door admission and other unwholesome practices associated with admission.

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