JAMB to process distance learning, part-time, sandwich admissions

Henceforth, all admissions into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education through Distance Learning, Part-Time, Outreach, and Sandwich must be processed only through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

This is the position of the admission Board.

It reiterated that all applications for admissions to First Degree, National Diploma, National Innovation Diploma and the Nigeria Certificate in Education must be processed only through JAMB.

Hence, institutions which are still involved in advertising or selling “application forms” for admissions into these programmes were advised to desist forthwith.

At present, JAMB only process admissions into full-time courses of the tertiary institutions while the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education handle admissions into their Distance Learning, Part-Time, Outreach, and Sandwich programmes.

But the Board, in a statement made available to The Star by the Head, Public Affairs and Protocols, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said it would no longer condone any illegal/ irregular admission by any institution.

Benjamin said the new hardline position taken by the Board was informed by the quantum of applications received for candidates for condonement of illegal admissions popularly known by candidates as ‘Regularisation’ adding that such ignoble acts would no longer be tolerated by the Board.

He enjoined institutions to advise their candidates to apply to them through JAMB, adding that duplication of application forms is also not allowed.

“On the other hand, candidates are to ensure that any admission issued to them by any institution is routed through the Board even before taking any institutionally-prescribed examination where applicable,” he said.

Benjamin stated that the Board would not succumb to pressure from any quarter to clear any candidate for the NYSC or other essential needs if he/she had accepted any admission from any institution which did not follow laid-down regulations as emphasized above.

“JAMB and the three Regulatory Agencies: (National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) will ensure that all tertiary institutions comply with this policy directive. Other Professional Regulatory Agencies are also expected to play critical roles in sanitising the process,” he said.

In the same vein, the Board restated the need to streamline academic standards and maintained that the duration of all Non-Full Time Studies must be maintained as approved by the regulatory agencies.

This, he said, is generally not less than 150% of the equivalence of full-time as no excuse would be entertained by the Board for condonement (Regularisation) of any admission.

The spokesman of the Board also maintained that institutions which desire to place advertisement to source for candidates can do so but they have to advise potential candidates, beginning from those who sat the current UTME (or DE candidates), to change to or pick these institutions as First Choice rather than the tortuous route of requesting candidates to purchase another application form.

This, the statement noted, would prevent the issue of double registration.