The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cautioned parents against making unfounded accusations against universities over the perceived unfair rejection of their children’s admission applications.
In a statement released on Sunday by JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the Board addressed several recent complaints, including a case involving Mr. Godwin Nsan, who accused the University of Calabar of unjustly denying his son admission. However, JAMB clarified that the candidate scored 201 in the UTME with an aggregate of 34%, which was below the university’s admission thresholds—55% for merit, 35% for catchment, and 35% for Educationally Less Developed States (ELDS).
“He unfairly criticized the university, but when he finally provided the required details, it became evident that his child did not meet the admission requirements,” Benjamin explained.
Similarly, JAMB dismissed another allegation from a senior public figure who accused Modibbo Adama University, Yola, of irregular admission practices. An investigation into the claim found no basis for the accusations.
JAMB also responded to a case where a father alleged that his son, who scored 345 in UTME, was denied admission by the University of Jos. When invited to JAMB’s headquarters, it was revealed that the candidate ranked 86th, while only 68 students could be admitted on merit. The father later apologized after understanding the ranking system.
Benjamin noted that in some universities, even a high UTME score might not guarantee admission due to the institution’s limited capacity and high competition.
JAMB further warned against the misuse of the “exceptionally brilliant window,” a category meant for candidates under 16 years old, stating that an unrealistic number of applicants were being registered under this provision compared to global standards.
The Board reiterated its commitment to transparent admissions and disclosed that a senior university official is currently facing prosecution for admission fraud, while four others are under investigation.
“We urge parents to avoid hasty conclusions and consider the performance of other candidates. The UTME is a ranking examination that determines a candidate’s placement among peers for the limited available spaces in tertiary institutions,” Benjamin stated.
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