By Akinwale Kasali
The Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB, has fingered University of Nigeria Nsukka, in admission racketeering scandal.
This is coming at a time when Senate is set to probe alleged admission racketeering in Universities in the country following a motion moved by Senator Onyeka Nwebonyi, representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District.
Nwebonyi specifically cited the admission travails of one Chinyere Ekwe at UNN. He alleged that the University staff conspired with JAMB officials to carry out unwholesome practices.
The allegation prompted Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to call for a fair hearing. He said JAMB is known to be a reputable institution.
Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB Registrar who commended the Senate for giving the exam body a chance to defend itself over the issue, stressed that the affected candidate sat for the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), and scored 291.
Oloyede said that the girl who applied to study Medicine and Surgery at UNN, was in 241 position in the ranking of applicants for the medical programme in the university after all her other academic performances, including post-UTME score, were calculated by the institution.
“Seeing the reality of the ranking, this lady did not apply to change her course, but the University decided she changes her to Medical Laboratory. A proposal was made to her and she accepted the Medical Laboratory in writing, and the institution then recommended her for admission into Medical Laboratory. We knew that she could not have been taken for Medicine because that year the University admitted more than the approved number.”
While saying that the University admitted above its given departmental quota in Medical Laboratory and was told to reduce the number, Oloyede said it was discovered that many other applicants, who were admitted ‘under the table’ (illegally) scored above her.
“Till today, the lady has no approval letter from JAMB neither for Medicine nor Medical Laboratory. And if she is doing Medical Laboratory, she is doing it in an arrangement between her and the institution,” Oloyede said.
He, however, said the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) of JAMB detected issue with the admission, having ranked in distant 241 position, which made her stand no chance to be admitted.
The JAMB boss further disclosed that the University ought to have followed all procedures of admitting candidates starting from ensuring that it confirmed with the quota allocated to it and ranking order, which was ignored in this case.
“The truth of the matter is that if she has a letter of provisional admission, it is not from JAMB. So, we welcome the wise counsel of the Senate President that the matter be investigated. We will cooperate with the Senate,” Oloyede added.
The Registrar assured the public that the Board and its staff would be vindicated, even as he expressed delight over the mediating role the exam body played between candidates and institutions in ensuring equity.
