FG Gives JAMB Go Ahead to Adopt Different Cut Off Points for Universities, Polytechnics, COEs

• Urges board to publish unutilized admission slots
• Moves to abolish Maths, English as compulsory requirement for admission in certain courses

Paul Obi in Abuja

Following the approval by the board of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to enable tertiary educational institutions to set different cut-off points, the federal government on Monday gave the nod for universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to proceed with their own cut-off marks as against the unified 180 mark.

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah said government had thrown its weight behind the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) decision to abolish the uniform cut-off marks for admission into all tertiary institutions in the country, given that the current policy lacks fairness, equity and logic.

He explained that the federal government is in full support of the decision of the board to introduce discriminatory cut-off marks for admissions into Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The Minister gave his nod after a one-day interactive forum with Chief Executives under the Ministry in Abuja.

According to Anwukah, “It does not make any sense subjecting candidates who are seeking admission into Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to the same cut-off marks when the durations and contents of their courses are radically different.”

He informed the gathering that government had directed JAMB to consult widely with relevant stakeholders to come up with new and separate cut-off marks for University admission, polytechnics and colleges of education which will take effect in the next academic session – 2017/2018.

The minister restated that the responsibility for admission into tertiary institutions rests solely with the Senate or the Academic Boards of such institutions. In the case of Universities, Prof. Anwukah said “Senate admits, Senate graduates, full stop”.

Also, the minister has ordered the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to publish in full, the list of unutilized admission slots into all Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education on a course by course basis at the end of the first leg of admission
process to enable students and or parents take full advantage of existing admission vacancies in institutions where such vacancies exist.