Let Joint Admissions And Matriculation Board (JAMB) Go

Let Joint Admissions And Matriculation Board (JAMB) Go.

Thirty-nine years ago, the federal government Decree 2, of 1978 (amended by Decree 33, of 1989 with more powers and duties) established a body-the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which is empowered to:

·        Conduct Matriculation Examination for entry into all Nigerian Universities.

With amended Decree 2 of 1978, which became Decree 33 of 1989, more powers and duties are vested in JAMB, which include, but not limited to:

·        Conduct Matriculation Examination for entry into all Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education (by whatever name called) in Nigeria.

·        Appoint Examiners, Moderators, Invigilators, members of  the Subject Panels and Committees and others persons with respect to matriculation

·        Place suitable qualified candidates in tertiary institutions

·        Collate and disseminate all information relating to admissions into tertiary institutions in Nigeria

·        Carry out activities necessary for full discharge of functions in pursuant of this decree.

JAMB is by far is one of the most popular federal government institutions in Nigeria, with the exception of the Central Bank of Nigerian and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), JAMB may be the third popular institution in Nigeria; not as a money-generating body, but as an organization whose impact on every Nigerian student last forever.

Many Nigerians will never forget JAMB for making their pathway to college easy; on the other hand, hundreds of thousands, perhaps, millions will never forgive JAMB for being victims of this powerful body, because of its archaic, poor standard evaluation, and retrogressive admission styles of selecting and placing students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

To tens of millions of Nigerians home and in diaspora, JAMB has outlived its usefulness; IT IS TIME FOR JAMB TO GO.

Before JAMB Entrance Examinations

Sole Duties of Universities:

Before 1978, all Nigerian universities through the statutes that established them, gave them unlimited powers to conduct entrance examinations and placements of qualified candidates in departments or courses of choice, or at least, secondary choice, if first choice was impossible, but met criteria of later choice.

Assignment-every Nigerian university performed with angelic fervor, even with the little taint of “Owosho Admissions Scandal” at University of Lagos, Akoka in 1973, university’s entrance examinations and students’ placements were among the noble duties in all Ivory Towers before 1978 arrival of JAMB.

Welcome JAMB:

Before 1976, there were six universities in Nigeria

·        The University of Ibadan, established as University College in 1948, became a full-fledge university in 1962, the great and popular UI

·        The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) established in 1960; independence gift.

·        University of Ife, Ile-Ife, 1962, now Obafemi Awolowo University (renamed Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU in May 1897).

·        University of Lagos, Akoka-Yaba, 1962 (following Ashby recommendations on higher education in Nigeria).

·        Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, successor to Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Samaru, Zaria.

·        University of Benin, 1970 by Samuel Ogbemudia’s administration.

With the exception University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and University of Lagos, Akoka-Yaba, three other universities were regional or states’ owned institutions until 1975, when the new military regime of Brigadier (later General) Murtala Mohammed unilaterally took them from their owners.

Prior to this time, none of the other three universities: Unife (now OAU), ABU, and Uniben had administrative, financial, or academic problems that could warrant their seizure by General Murtala Mohammed.

Although, Murtala died six months into his administration, however, this administrative error or infraction continued under Obasanjo-Yar’ Adua regime.

Hitherto, no cogent or compelling reasons were given for their takeover, other than grapevine, that it was Northern Nigerian plans to downtempo Southern Nigeria education speed for it to catch up.

By 1976, Obasanjo regime established seven new universities:

1.     University of Sokoto, now Usman Dan Fodio University

2.     Bayero University, Kano

3.     University of Maiduguri

4.     University of Jos

5.     University of Ilorin

6.     University of Calabar

7.     University of Port-Harcourt

By 1978, Nigeria already had thirteen universities; in fact, 1978 would remain indelible in annals of Nigeria Education, considering events, which happened. In 1978, federal government jacked up feeding fee that led to “Ali-Must-Go” riot-Akintunde Ojo-a Part Two Political Science student of University of Lagos, killed.

Same year on October 4, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board established.

Pundits and education managers back then felt-all the 1978 federal government education policies or actions-were craftily or knavishly directed against southerners, regardless of six universities in the north, after all, their students were mainly southerners.

JAMB AND ITS MANY SINS:

The first registrar of JAMB was Professor Akinkugbe, later vice-chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Professor Akinkugbe began on a good note, set a standard to become a world record for the new body, he barely stayed for a year before replaced.

Fortunately, JAMB had a tested technocratic, administrator par excellence-Michael Angulu-a dedicated and professionally sound public servant, who took JAMB to enviable position; for about eight years, Angulu created a-near-perfect-examination-body for Nigerians, but this would not continue.

In 1987, General Ibrahim Babangida relieved Michael Angulu of his position, JAMB then became an extension of Ministry of Education under the mighty hand of Professor Jibril Aminu.

Never forget, Professor Aminu was the Executive Secretary of National University Commission (NUC) when JAMB was planned and established in 1978-perhaps, the arrowhead of JAMB project.

Aminu and Col. Ahmadu Ali, then Federal Commissioner for Education supervised JAMB until Ali left, and Jibril Aminu was appointed Vice-Chancellor, University of Maiduguri in 1981.

As soon as Professor Aminu became Minister of Education in Babangida’s regime-JAMB system changed radically, disparate admissions policies introduced, and different examinations standards instituted. JAMB lost the great steam under Angulu, soon, JAMB became a federal agency promoting regional education balance using these criteria:

·        Catchment Areas

·        Quota system or balancing

·        Merit

Universities throughout the land were forced to admit students as directed by Federal Ministry of Education through JAMB.

Because of over centralization of all admissions, unbearable pressures lay on universities from candidates, parents, and guardians.  As a college professor at University of Lagos, more important, Admissions Officer for five years, admissions season was my worst time at University of Lagos.

From every nook and cranny of Nigeria-you see over qualified candidates-that had been knocked off on flimsy technical admissions requirements, such as over filled quota for a particular state or outside catchment area.

You see brilliant candidates with great scores and outstanding performance in SSCE and NECO, but would not get admission because they were are two marks short of cut-off points assigned to their state of origin, meanwhile, students from certain states had compromised standard.

These were the plights of candidates many years ago, but far worse, even today.

Why JAMB Must Go:
Changing Face of Tertiary
Education in Nigeria.

Nigeria had witnessed tremendous changes in education sector within the past twenty years, which no one can deny.

With over three hundred universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education-may we ask-should JAMB be the only body to perform this noble and arduous task?

With private participation in tertiary education-should privately owned universities be forced or compelled to admit students into their colleges through JAMB alone?

Should states owned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education-that are 100 per cent funded by states governments-have any reason or reasons to stay with JAMB anymore?

If Babangida’s regime could break West African Examination Council’s (WAEC) monopoly by creating National Examination Council (NECO), and the same government created the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria (ICPAN), a parallel body with Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN)-

Is time not ripe for states and private universities to say goodbye to JAMB?

Modern day realities have overtaken JAMB, though, was reasonable some thirty-nine years ago.

JAMB is no longer desirable; it has outlived its usefulness,

JAMB must be liquidated for every university to carry its load.

The recent failure of JAMB to conduct an entrance examination tagged MOCK is shameful, all cosmetic or façade current leadership of JAMB, is selling in public domain will not take JAMB anywhere.

Although Nigerian elite hate change with passion, surprisingly, antagonists of JAMB’s liquidation will certainly be individuals whose children are in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and North America studying-but for selfish interest-they will put up a strong fight to keep JAMB.

Private and states owned universities should commence a dis-engagement plan of two to three years, between now and disengagement date, they would have put proper structures on ground to take care of entrance examinations and placement of students.

Nigerians, IT IS TIME FOR JAMB TO GO.