The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been asked to stop “extorting” Nigerians who are seeking admission into higher institutions.
Abdullahi Yelwa, National Publicity Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics made the plea when he presented a paper as a guest speaker at the Bauchi South Stakeholders Interactive Session organized by the Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Shehu Buba Umar.
He alleged that JAMB has turned into a revenue generating organ causing untold hardship for Nigerians because of the extortion, which is supposed to be a service-oriented government institution.
“What JAMB is doing now is extorting Nigerians and causing unnecessary hardship on Nigerians and also locking opportunities instead of widening and increasing opportunities for enrollment in tertiary institutions,” Yelwa said
“The acclaimed four choices in JAMB or UMTE is just a mirage because, in reality and practice, there’s only one choice of institution. No matter what your score is, if you cannot get admission in the current session, your score is useless, you’ll have to do it again.
“They are focusing on revenue generation and this issue of changing institutions constantly because any institution that is not your first choice, cannot give you admission. So, there’s no need for second, third, or fourth choices if you can’t get admission there.
“You must go back to JAMB and you must pay and change the institution. So, JAMB should stop deceiving Nigerians, they should stop wasting the resources of Nigerians and we should respect these choices. If you can’t get admission in the first choice, the others should offer you admission so that our children will not be subjected to untold hardship.”
Yelwa called on JAMB to extend the validity of its results beyond one year to enable applicants who are not offered admission that year can use the same results to seek admission in the next academic session.
He advised Senator Umar to use his position to ensure that the situation is stopped “so that financial stress can be removed from Nigerians.”
Responding, the convener of the meeting Shehu Buba Umar said the interactive session was organized due to the deteriorating state of education, right from primary to tertiary institution
“It is for this reason that the program has as its theme: Attaining a brighter future for Bauchi South Senatorial District through the 10th Assembly: A legislative Agenda for the Senator”.
“This means that we are here today to interact with one another, for me to feel the pulse of my people, share their problems, discuss their concerns, and in a united and purposeful way, chart the path to progress, prosperity, and transformation in Bauchi South District,” Umar added.
