The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) recently made headlines for sanctioning officials involved in the harassment of a female candidate wearing a Hijab during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) at the Bafuto Institute in Lagos.
In a statement released by Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Head of Public Affairs at JAMB, the Board expressed deep regret over the incident. It was revealed that the incident was not in line with JAMB’s examination guidelines but rather a result of the misplaced priorities of some accredited partners or officials who claimed ignorance of the rules.
The issue was promptly addressed by a senior official at the center, and the candidate was allowed to proceed with her hijab after the necessary checks were conducted. The officials involved were sanctioned as a deterrent to prevent similar incidents in the future.
JAMB emphasized that there is no policy prohibiting candidates from wearing religious attire during exams, as it is a common practice in Nigeria. The Board reassured the public that the matter would be thoroughly investigated to prevent any recurrence.
Despite the controversy, the 2024 UTME has been underway since April 19th, with over 1.2 million candidates expected to have completed the examination by April 22nd. JAMB remains committed to its mandate of selecting qualified candidates for admission into tertiary institutions and will not be swayed from this goal.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding religious freedoms and respecting candidates’ beliefs during examination processes. JAMB’s swift response to the issue demonstrates its dedication to ensuring a fair and inclusive testing environment for all candidates.
