JAMB distances itself from hijab harassment at Ibadan exam centre

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has attributed an incident involving the alleged harassment of hijab-wearing candidates at a computer-based test centre in Ibadan to an “overzealous” ad hoc staff member who acted outside official guidelines.

The incident occurred at the Esther Oshikoya CBT Centre during the first session of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination screening exercise on Thursday, April 16, prompting swift intervention from the board after a video of the episode circulated online, showing a female candidate being asked to remove her hijab before gaining entry.

In a statement signed by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, JAMB said it moved immediately upon being alerted, directing that no candidate wearing a hijab should be required to remove or alter it.

“The Board promptly intervened by calling the ad hoc official involved to order and issuing immediate instructions that no candidate wearing a hijab should be asked to remove or alter it,” the statement read.

JAMB was emphatic that the conduct was neither sanctioned by the centre nor consistent with its established protocols.

“This act was neither perpetrated by the centre nor part of its official protocol. Rather, it was the action of an overzealous ad hoc staff member who failed to adhere to the Board’s established guidelines regarding candidates’ religious attire,” it said.

The board reaffirmed its commitment to the religious rights of all candidates, stating that no applicant should face discrimination on grounds of faith or dressing.

“We assure all candidates, regardless of faith, that their rights to religious expression — including dressing — remain a cornerstone of our policy,” JAMB said.

The board added that all ad hoc personnel had been re-briefed on approved screening procedures ahead of the ongoing examinations.

This is not the first time controversies over dress and identification guidelines have flared at JAMB examination centres, though the board has consistently maintained a policy of non-discrimination on religious grounds.