JAMB Warns Universities Against Admitting Underage Students 

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede speaking -ARDNig

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar of JAMB, has warned Nigerian universities to stop admitting underage students, calling it illegal. He highlighted a case where a 15-year-old applied for a postgraduate course in Europe, revealing issues with admission practices. Oloyede emphasized the need for accountability and data integrity in the education system and pointed out the problem of illegally admitting diploma students. He urged state universities to improve governance and competitiveness.Prof. Ibrahim Gambari encouraged universities to enhance their appeal by specializing in specific areas to attract top students and staff. Sen. Joshua Lidani outlined several challenges facing universities, including corruption, exam malpractice, inadequate funding, and premature dissolution of governing councils. He stressed the importance of raising awareness about these issues to improve governance and education standards in Nigeria. 

Underage Admission Concerns 

Speaking at a conference for the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria, Oloyede shared a recent incident. He received a letter from a European country asking if a 15-year-old student who applied for a postgraduate course had graduated from a Nigerian university. Oloyede confirmed the student’s graduation but noted she was not admitted through JAMB. Oloyede emphasized the importance of stopping such practices for the sake of accountability, data protection, and the integrity of the nation’s education system. He called on state-owned universities to be particularly vigilant, as they are more numerous than federal universities. 

Illegal Diploma Admissions 

Oloyede also highlighted the problem of admitting diploma students illegally. Last year, JAMB admitted 9,000 diploma students, with 3,000 coming from a single university. He warned that these practices could damage the education system. Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to the President, encouraged pro-chancellors to make their institutions as competitive and attractive as federal and private universities. He suggested that state universities should find specific areas to specialize in to attract the best students and staff. Sen. Joshua Lidani, Chairman of COPSUN, listed several challenges facing universities, including corruption, exam malpractice, inadequate funding, and the premature dissolution of governing councils. These issues create a vacuum in administration, leading to further problems. 

Admitting underage students is illegal and damages the integrity of our education system. We must ensure accountability and data protection to uphold the standards of our universities.” – Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB. 

Raising Awareness 

Lidani noted that while the conference alone cannot solve all these issues, it can raise public awareness about the threats to good governance and standards in the education system. He expressed hope that the conference would guide stakeholders on how to improve education standards in Nigeria. 

The warning from JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, underscores the urgent need for Nigerian universities to uphold the integrity and standards of the education system by stopping the admission of underage students and addressing other illegal practices. By ensuring accountability, enhancing governance, and specializing in specific academic niches, universities can attract top talent and improve their competitiveness. Raising public awareness and addressing the highlighted challenges are crucial steps toward securing the future of higher education in Nigeria.