JAMB Welcomes Senate Probe Of Alleged Admission Racketeering In Universities

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it welcomes the decision of the Senate to probe alleged admission racketeering in universities, while expressing optimism that the examination body will be vindicated

Reacting to the development in a statement, the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, commended the Senate for giving the examination body to defend itself over the issue.

Prof. Oloyede, while clarifying a major issue in the allegation, said the affected candidate sat for the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and scored 291.

JAMB stated that the girl who applied to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was ranked 241 in the ranking of applicants for the medical programme after all her other academic performances, including post-UTME score were calculated by the institution.

The examination body also revealed that the lady did not apply to change her course after accepting the UNN proposal to change to Medical Laboratory in writing and was offered admission.

JAMB further stated that it never gave the candidate any approval letter for Medicine nor Medical Laboratory, adding that she is doing Medical Laboratory in an arrangement between her and the institution.

It stressed that the university ought to have followed all procedures for admitting candidates by ensuring that they confirmed the quota allocated to them and ranking order, which was ignored under the circumstances.

While assuring the public that the Board and its staff would be vindicated, the examination body expressed delight over the mediating role it has played between candidates and institutions towards ensuring equity and fairness.

Recall that the Senate had agreed to investigate allegations of admission racketeering in the nation’s universities, following a motion moved by Senator Onyeka Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) who cited the admission travails of one Chinyere Ekwe at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).