The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB) Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has issued a warning to post-secondary institutions, particularly universities, to cease admitting underage applicants, calling the trend “illegal.”
He stated that it should be prohibited to admit people who are not of legal age.
Oloyede stated as much on Tuesday in Lagos during the beginning of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria’s seventh annual conference.
The conference’s theme was “Effective University Governance: Stakeholders’ Role.”
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He emphasised that this behaviour needs to end for the sake of accountability, data protection, and national integrity because anything abnormal was criminal.
“About two months ago, I received a letter from an European country to confirm if a student actually graduated from a particular university because she is 15 years old and applied for postgraduate course.
“They question they asked me is “Is this possible in Nigeria.
“I had to call the Vice Chancellor of the institution and he confirmed the student graduated from the university but was not admitted by JAMB.
“He had to include that he was not the VC at the time the student was admitted,” Oloyede said.
He pointed out that because state-owned institutions outnumber federal universities in terms of enrollment, they must take significant action in this regard.
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“Also illegal admission of diploma students needs to stop because last year, we admitted 9,000 diploma students; I was alarmed that about 3,000 students came from a particular university.
“Everyone of us should be accountable because all these acts can damage our education system,” Oloyede said.
The pro-chancellors were advised to develop a plan of action by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the former Chief of Staff to the President, on how to make their schools as competent and appealing as federal and private universities.
According to Gambari, by doing this, they were able to keep some of the best staff members and instructors, which drew the best candidates from the pool of qualified pupils.
“State owned universities must explore how best to carve out specific niches which inevitably place them in a position to exploit corresponding comparative advantages that enhance their position.
“Successfully executing this , a foundation for brand creation and recognition is ascertained,” he said.
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The COPSUN Chairman, Senator Joshua Lidani, stated that the theme covered a wide range of matters related to university system governance.
Pro-Chancellor Lidani of Gombe State University stated that a number of issues are now plaguing the university system and postsecondary education in general.
“Some of these challenges include: corrupt practices, impersonation, miracle exam centres, inadequate funding, proliferation of universities.
“Others were discriminate and premature dissolution of governing councils and boards of tertiary educational institutions and delay in reconstituting them,” he said.
Lidani added that apart from the illegality of these acts, a huge vacuum was usually left in the administration of the institution leading to all kinds of anomalies.
“Incessant strike action by ASUU and other labour unions and the attendant consequences in stability, quality and standards.
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“These are definitely not exhaustive but are symptomatic of the deep malaise that is affecting the system and extent of the problem.
“Of course, this conference alone will not be able to address the problem but it can raise public consciousness and alarm at the threat posed to good governance, standards and quality in the tertiary educational system.
“I have no doubt that the conference can point the way forward and advise on the way stakeholders can play a better and rightful role in uplifting the standards of education in the country,” he said.
NAN
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