The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board is responsible to conduct exams for prospective undergraduates in the Nigerian universities. This authority is being challenged by the Universities, as it is often the case with government parastatals, one trying to outwit the other.
Meeting universities' cut-off marks does not guarantee an outright admission, one has to go through the hurdle of a post-matriculation exam being conducted by the universities. This action raises a lot of questions on the continous existence of JAMB. They have argued that students cheat in JAMB exams and most of them who score high marks do not eventually do well upon admission. A missing link there you would say!
JAMB on the other hand, has argued that its authorities are being challenged and sees no reason for post-UME exams. Expectedly, the people in JAMB put up a bold face " we have instituted effective security to prevent examination malpractices in our examinations".
My take on this controversy: JAMB has not been able to prove beyond doubts that its exams are immune to leaking and other malpractices; and as pointed out by the universities, one really would wonder at the academic performance of students with best scores in JAMB. I am sure the universities have the statistics to show that they (students) do not eventually do well in their chosen course of study. Introducing post-matriculation exams is a welcome development after all.
The vacancies existing in the universities in comparison to the the number of students seeking admission is far from proportionate and for this, the exercise (post UME) is another means of streamlining the number of intakes.
The post UME exams has however been an exercise to extort money from the unsuspecting public. Each student is made to pay as much as Five thousand Naira (N5,000), this is extortion in its strongest term! If they feel the students are to be re-examined, it should not be at the students' expense.
The universities should also be able to prove with verifiable figures that its Post UME is after all justified and also not a case of a pot calling the kettle black (I do not know if the VC admission list still exists).
The present scenario now takes us to the question, what happens to JAMB? Agreed, its existence is being threatened by the universities if not the NUC (Nigeria Universities Commission). I will give some probable answers:
One, the act (law) establishing JAMB be tinkered with; clauses like 'on meeting the cut-off marks of the universities, the prospective undergraduates would have to write another test as deemed fit by the university where admission is being sought'.
Two, JAMB authorities should put in place a mechanism to checkmate malpractices of any sort; this will douse the lack-of-confidence posture being touted by the universities and consequently restores its fading image.
On a final note, I do welcome your comments and suggestions on how we can get out of this cul-de-sac. My next blog is going to be on 'classification of degrees in Nigerian universities'. I hope you will follow me.
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