The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has mandated all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to disclose all admissions conducted outside its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) before 2017 within one month.
Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Public Communication Advisor for JAMB, revealed this directive at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, speaking on behalf of the board’s registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede. The directive aims to enhance transparency and fairness in the admissions process.
“The board has noted that some institutions admit candidates outside the approved CAPS platform and process these through the condonement of illegal admissions window to legitimize them. To close this abused window, all institutions must disclose all candidates illegally admitted before 2017 within the next one month, starting from August 1, 2024. Any undisclosed admission from before 2017 will no longer be recognized or condoned after this period,” Benjamin stated.
He emphasized that institutions must comply with this directive as there will be no further condonement of unrecorded candidates who did not register with JAMB or sit for any entrance examination. This move aims to curb illegal admissions and falsification of records while ensuring compliance with CAPS provisions.
Benjamin highlighted that the decision marks the end of the condonement of illegal admissions, which previously allowed institutions to incorporate unauthorized admissions into the system. Concerns have arisen over institutions colluding with candidates to falsify details for illegal admissions, leading to fraudulent participation in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
“Despite warnings, some institutions continue to admit candidates outside CAPS and seek condonement of undisclosed illegal institutional admissions. Consequently, the board is terminating the aspect of the CUIIA process which allows completely unregistered candidates to be introduced to the system,” he added.
CAPS remains the only authorized platform for admissions. Institutions must disclose all candidates admitted illegally within their systems. Moving forward, the board will not tolerate any undisclosed admissions by any institution.
Regarding the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions for the 2024/2025 session, the board maintained that the minimum age remains 16 years. “For the 2024 admission cycle, candidates who will be at least 16 years old at the time of admission will be considered eligible,” Benjamin confirmed.
Benjamin also expressed concern over a new trend of strange admissions practices labeled “Daily-Part-Time” by certain polytechnics and “Top Up” by some universities. He cited a recent advertisement by Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, inviting candidates to apply for its two-year Daily-Part-Time programme, which he labeled as fraudulent.
“No such programmes are approved by the National Board for Technical Education or the National Universities Commission. They are fraudulent devices to sideline quality, approved quotas for full-time admission, falsify records, and rake in illegitimate income, thereby derailing the ambitions and careers of innocent (and some equally crooked) candidates,” Benjamin concluded.