The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a new policy for Direct Entry (DE) candidates seeking admission into Nigerian universities. According to a statement from the board’s Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, DE candidates will now be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) along with other candidates.
JAMB said that the policy change is aimed at ensuring that DE candidates justify the possession of their A’level certificates. The statement added that the change is also meant to holistically address loopholes in the DE admission process, which had led to abuses.
The new policy is part of JAMB’s efforts to promote transparency, accountability and good governance in the education sector, according to the statement. JAMB said the development underscores its commitment to changing the negative narrative of A’level admissions into higher institutions in Nigeria.
The statement also announced that JAMB had remitted N2 billion as its interim surplus for the 2023 operating year, in furtherance of its pledge to leverage technology and discipline to manage the affairs of the board. The board had remitted over N55 billion to the Federal Government coffers since the assumption of JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, according to the statement.
