The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has raised concerns over the persisting problem of illegal admissions by some institutions, which it describes as a national embarrassment. This was disclosed by the JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, in a recent report published in the board’s bulletin in Abuja.
According to the bulletin, Prof Oloyede revealed that JAMB had uncovered a significant number of fake graduates, approximately 3,000 in total, who purportedly never attended any university. He emphasized that such fraudulent practices are detrimental to the nation’s education system.
During a meeting with the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN) at the board’s National Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, Prof Oloyede reiterated that illegal admissions undermine the integrity of tertiary education in the country.
The bulletin quoted Prof Oloyede as stating, “Some ‘graduates’ had never entered the four walls of a university owing to the endemic corruption in the system, but the board had documented over 3,000 of such cases. Illegal admission of candidates into tertiary institutions in the country is an embarrassment and a disservice to the nation.”
In a related development, prospective students seeking admission into the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and similar open-distance learning institutions across the country are now required to complete their registration through JAMB. This directive, as disclosed by JAMB in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, mandates applicants to also register using their individual National Identification Numbers (NIN).
The move aims to curb fraudulent activities and streamline the registration process for applicants intending to pursue education through open-distance learning platforms.
JAMB assured stakeholders that it would continue to enforce measures to maintain the integrity of admissions into Nigerian tertiary institutions, ensuring fair and transparent processes for all prospective students.
