JAMB Finally Approves Reduction of Cut-off Points with Caveat

• Fixes Nov 30 as close of admissions

Amby Uneze in Owerri and Paul Obi in Abuja
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) board yesterday approved the reduction of-cut off points for tertiary educational institutions, giving respective institutions the discretion to adopt their own cut-off marks that is very reasonable.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, stated that the board gave the nod for the reduction of the cut-off marks strictly to institutions that have exhausted their list of candidates with 180 and above in order to create access to students who could reached the cut-off mark.

He explained that JAMB had earlier collated requests from the various Senates and Academic Boards of institutions and had made such plea known to the appropriate authorities.

Oloyede made this known during the Second Technical Committee Meeting on the 2016 Admissions to Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria at the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State yesterday.
He said many institutions which were part of the decision to adopt the 180 minimum benchmark during the 2016-Policy Meeting chaired by Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, were finding it difficult to admit candidates.

Oloyede said a large number of institutions, particularly the budding ones, had applied for a waiver to enable them admit candidates who in some instances scored below 180 marks.
He said: “Just this morning we received a green light on flexible cut-off mark only for institutions which have exhausted the list of candidates with 180 above, subject, of course to a minimum acceptable to JAMB and meeting of other pre requisite.

“Many institutions, though part of the decision, have expressed concern on their inability to effect this cut-off mark as they are finding it difficult to fill a reasonable percentage of their quota if the rule is strictly applied as we insist.

“A large number of institutions, particularly the budding ones, have applied for a waiver to enable them admit candidates who in some instances scored below 180 marks.”

He said the decision to revisit cut off marks for admission needs attention, stressing that, some institutions whether public or privately-owned may soon begin to wobble or even close shops if policy makers continue to insist on a uniform cut off point for admission.

This development, he cautioned, could be counter-productive and even defeat the federal government’s policy of expansion of access to higher education and manpower development.

Oloyede maintained that JAMB has reopened its portal for change of institutions and courses so that institutions and candidates can legitimately effect change of course at the point of entry rather than NYSC- inspired regularisation with attendant abuse.
He promised that the board would cooperate with the various institutions in carrying out the mandates of their respective Senate and Academic Boards on admission matters.