The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says post- Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination screening for the 2020 admission processes will commence on September 7, 2020, in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country. Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this on Monday after a consultative virtual meeting with vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts of tertiary education institutions in the country.
According to the Board, the shift in date of admission process from the earlier announced 21 August, is to accommodate candidates who will be taking part in this year’s school-based Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). “The view of JAMB is that while we go on consulting at a point when it becomes necessary for decision, we should all come together and take decision. Presently as you are aware, WAEC starts the Senior School Certificate Examination on 17 August, it will go on till 7th of September.
“Similarly, on the 21 of September or thereabout, NABTEB will commence its own examination that will go on till on the 15 of October, and immediately after that, NECO starts on the 5th and will hold till 18 of November. “Rather than making candidates run, particularly, when they will have to write their school certificate exam in different towns and rush to university elsewhere for post-UTME, like somebody rushing from Sokoto to Ibadan t for post-UTME, we believe as a custodian of the highest sector of the education system, we should avoid that,” Oloyede said.
Oloyede further stated that institutions whose post-UTME screening is mandatory for candidates would have to spread such exercise in two phases. “For those institutions who want to take post-UTME that cannot be earlier than September 7. It will be held twice September to 4 October, and then it will be held for the second time on November 18 to mop up those who are taking their school certificate examination”, he added.
Oloyede commended the various submissions of heads of tertiary institutions during the meeting, stating that institutions that conduct admissions without the administration of any-post UTME screening should also ensure candidates whose SSCE results will be released towards the end of the year are not denied participation in the admission exercise. The Registrar also revealed that the Board has withheld results of candidates that sat for this year’s UTME at Correctional Service centres over suspected infractions.
The virtual meeting had 488 participants from across the thirty-six states in the country.
