The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has
hinted that it may cancel the use of uniform cut-off
points for admitting candidates that took the
Universities Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
The issue of cut-off marks as currently being used for
admission, it said, should be subjected to national
debate by stakeholders.
The Spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin,
gave the indication in a statement he issued on
behalf of its Registrar/Chief Executive, Prof Is-haq
Oloyede, on Sunday evening in Abuja.
He said a situation where universities, polytechnics
and colleges of education were subjected to the
same cut-off marks was no longer tenable because it
prevented the institutions from admitting candidates
of their choice.
Tertiary institutions, he sated, should be allowed to
determine the kind of candidates they want to admit.
He added that there was an urgent need to
reconsider the current cut-off point of 180 for
admission in order to strengthen access to
education, particularly for the less-privileged.
Benjamin said, “The uniformity of cut-off marks
doesn’t make any sense when colleges (of education)
and polytechnics admit for national certificate of
education and diplomas, while universities admit for
degrees.
Yet, we subject them to the same cut-off marks,
thereby starving these tiers of institutions from
admitting candidates who, if not engaged, may likely
become easy prey to social vices.
“This means that if a University wants 250 as
minimum cut-off marks, why not? And if another
wants less so be it. If a Polytechnic like YABATECH
(Yaba College of Technology) wants 250 as cut-off
marks, let them admit and if Gboko Polytechnic in
Benue State where I come from wants less than 200,
let them admit.
“Institutions should be known for their individual
quality and not collective standards. This will foster
positive competition for the overall good of our
tertiary institutions. It is critical for all notable
stakeholders to rethink the issue of cut-off marks.
“I am calling for a national debate on the propriety of
cut off marks; institutions should be allowed to
determine the kind of candidates they want.”
JAMB also expressed worry over the class
opportunities as it affects the distribution of
admission resources.
The organisation said, “The rich have multiple
opportunities which include going abroad for studies
while the poor only have the opportunity of
struggling for the scarce spaces here.
“They come back and they are integrated while the
poor can’t afford it and are forever denied the
opportunity of education. Let institutions admit what
they want according to their needs.”
JAMB urged Nigerians to look at the decision
critically for it to take action that would be for the
good of the education sector.