JAMB Cancels General Cut-Off Marks, Announces New Method For Admission

GIOTV reports that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cancelled general cut-off marks for admission into tertiary institutions across the country.

The Board, however, gave tertiary institutions the freedom to set their individual minimum benchmarks for admission.

GIOTV reports that the latest development was taken at the 2021 policy meeting, which was held virtually, and chaired by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Tuesday.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, while speaking at the meeting, said, “Some universities such as the University of Maiduguri, proposed 150; Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, proposed 140; Pan Atlantic University proposed 210; University of Lagos 200; Lagos State University, 190; Covenant University 190; and Bayero University, Kano, 180.

“Institutions have now been given the liberty to decide cut-off marks; there will be no cut-off marks [stipulation] from JAMB,” Oloyede stated.

On the deadline for the closure of admission into tertiary institutions, the stakeholders resolved to allow the education ministry to decide, as they could not agree on the December 31, 2021, deadline for all public institutions and January 31, 2022, for all private institutions.

GIOTV reports that the stakeholders further adopted the 2021 admission guidelines, which provide that all applications for part-time or full-time programmes for degrees, NCE, OND, and others must be posted only through JAMB.

They also approved that, for Direct Entry, the maximum score a candidate could present is six and the minimum is two or an E, as required by law.

The policy meeting chaired by the Minister of Education usually has vice-chancellors, provosts, and rectors from public and private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

It also has Executive Secretaries of National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Examinations Council (NECO), Director General, National Youths Corps Members (NYSC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), heads of West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and other relevant agencies involved in admissions.

They also approved that, for Direct Entry, the maximum score a candidate could present is six and the minimum is two or an E, as required by law.