JAMB Not an Examination Body, Oloyede Clarifies Board’s True Role in Admissions
The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has reaffirmed that JAMB not an examination body is a fact Nigerians need to understand, stressing that the agency’s primary responsibility is facilitating admissions into tertiary institutions rather than conducting examinations.
Oloyede made the clarification while speaking at the maiden Rite Foods National Academic Excellence Awards held at the Civic Centre in Lagos, where outstanding undergraduates were honoured with cash prizes.
According to him, many Nigerians mistakenly classify JAMB alongside examination bodies such as the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO). He explained that while JAMB conducts the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the examination only serves as an assessment tool for admission into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
He noted that the growing attention placed on UTME scores has created the false impression that admission depends solely on examination performance. Oloyede explained that institutions also consider candidates’ subject combinations, admission requirements, and other academic qualifications before offering admission.
The JAMB registrar warned that celebrating candidates based only on high UTME scores could be misleading because some applicants with outstanding scores may still fail to secure admission if they do not meet the required criteria.
Reiterating that JAMB not an examination body, Oloyede said the board functions as an educational assessment and admission agency that serves as a central clearing house for tertiary admissions. He added that its role is to ensure transparency, fairness, and merit in the placement of candidates into higher institutions across Nigeria.
He urged the public to better understand JAMB’s statutory mandate, emphasizing that examinations are only one aspect of its operations, while its core responsibility remains coordinating admissions into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
