What JAMB’s ‘one-varsity only’ directive could mean for candidates

Many candidates registering for this year’s Unified
Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UTME, were
shocked when they were given the choice to pick
only one university of their choice, contrary to the
traditional first and second choice options of
universities and/or polytechnics. The Joint
Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB,
responsible for the UTME, in a new policy has made
it compulsory for candidates to pick one university,
one polytechnic, one college of education and one
innovative enterprise institute (IEI) when registering
for their exams.
The Registrar, JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, believes
that this policy will go a long way in solving the
admission crisis bedeviling the country. In an
exclusive interview with Vanguard Learning, he said:
“Most university managements claim that they do
not run second class universities, and as a result,
do not want to admit students who choose them as
a second choice. From our experience, universities
refuse to take students who make them a second
choice, but they do not hesitate to collect the
students’ money when they want to write the post-
UTME. And this is not fair to students.
So last year, Vice Chancellors of universities,
provosts of Polytechnics and other stakeholders in
the sector decided that students should only pick
one university, one polytechnic, one college of
education and one innovative enterprise institute
when applying to write the UTME. If they do not
follow these instructions, they cannot apply. We are
also hoping that this will go a long way to curb the
admission crisis. A lot of times, there are spaces in
tertiary institutions other than universities, but the
bottle neck lies in the fact that everyone wants to
go to the university.
So, beyond this move, the government must go a
step further to make these tertiary institutions
degree-awarding institutions. Professor Oby
Ezekwesili had suggested this earlier. For example,
Polytechnics should be given the authority to award
Bachelor of Technology awards. This will go a long
way in solving the dichotomy that exists which
causes candidates to flock mostly to the
universities.”
As expected, most candidates are not pleased with
the development. One of such, Victoria Akachukwu
told our correspondent: “I don’t really like the idea
of choosing only one university,” she said, “because
it means that my chances for entering the university
are slimmer.

But on the other hand, it just means that I have to
work much harder so that I can get into the
university and study my dream course which is
Law. Last year, I got admission into a polytechnic,
but my Dad did not want me to attend. So I have to
try really hard so I can get into a university this
year.”
Other stakeholders are more concerned about the
implementation of the directive than the paper it is
written on. The chairman, Academic Staff Union of
Polytechnics, ASUP, Dr. Chibuzor Asomugha
argued: “There have been different kinds of policies
in the past, but the problem is always with the
implementation. Whatever step is being taken,
stakeholders should ensure that they follow up
implementation.”
Speaking to Vanguard Learning, Dr. Andrews
Jegede, the National President of the Association of
Innovation and Vocational Institutions, said: “If this
is well implemented, then the admission crisis the
country is facing is already solved. It means that
government is beginning to understand the need to
give technical, vocational and teaching education
their rightful place. What we must do now is to
encourage JAMB to ensure that the cut-off marks
agreed on are enforced across board. In other
words: 180 and above for universities, 160-169 for
polytechnics, 150-159 for colleges of education,
and 150-159 for innovative enterprise institutes.”
There are about 120 institutions approved by the
FME and accredited by the National Board for
Technical Education (NBTE), and have been listed
by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board
since 2007. IEIs cover areas such as computer
hardware engineering, software engineering,
multimedia technology, oil and gas, information
technology, creative arts, industrial welding, early
childcare education, paralegal studies, computer
networking and securities, film production and
many more.
The National Innovation Diploma (NID) is the
certification approved by the FME for IEIs. It is the
equivalent of the National Diploma, and it is equally
four semesters of course work spanning over two
years with Student Industrial Work Experience
Scheme (SIWES).
In the past few years, the nation’s higher
institutions have only been able to accommodate
about one third of the population of teeming
candidates who write the UTME every year.
Whether the new resolutions made by JAMB will
help solve the admission crisis, remains to be seen.