JOHN ONAH, Abuja
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shifted the commencement of 2020 admissions into tertiary institutions to September.
The board said post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post-UTME) screening for the 2020 admission processes will now begin not earlier than September 7, 2020 in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the country.
It also said the shift in the date of the admission process from the earlier announced Aug. 21 is to accommodate candidates who will be taking part in this year’s school-based Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede made this known on Monday after a consultative virtual meeting with vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts of tertiary education institutions.
He said, “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.”
According to him, on the Sept. 21 or thereabout, NABTEB will commence its own examination that will go on till on the Oct. 15, and immediately after that, NECO starts on the 5th and will hold till 18th 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.
“The institutions whose post-UTME screening is mandatory for candidates would have to spread such exercise in two phases.
He said, “For those (institutions) who want to take post-UTME, that cannot be earlier than the 7th of September and it will be held twice- 7 September to 4 October, and then it will be held for the second time on the 18 November to mop up those who are taking their school certificate examination.”
He commended the various submissions of heads of tertiary institutions during the meeting and said 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.