FG Denies Scrapping JAMB for University Admissions, Says Reports Are False
The Federal Government has dismissed viral claims suggesting that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is no longer required for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions, calling the reports false, misleading, and unauthorized.
The clarification was made on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, in a statement issued through the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
Dr. Alausa emphasized that the government had not introduced any policy changes regarding university or tertiary institution admissions.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, wishes to categorically state that this report is false, baseless, and did not originate from the Federal Ministry of Education. At no point did the Ministry issue or authorize any statement suggesting that JAMB is no longer mandatory for admission into tertiary institutions,” the statement read.
Clarification on JAMB’s Role in Admissions
The Ministry reaffirmed that JAMB remains the legally recognized and statutory body responsible for conducting entrance examinations and coordinating admissions into universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria.
“For the avoidance of doubt, JAMB remains the statutory and legally empowered body responsible for conducting entrance examinations and coordinating admissions into all tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The established admission processes through JAMB remain fully operational, and any contrary information should be disregarded,” the statement added.
The Ministry urged students, parents, and tertiary institutions to rely only on official communication channels of the Ministry and JAMB for verified information.
Dr. Alausa also warned media outlets and online platforms against spreading unverified news that could cause confusion or damage the integrity of Nigeria’s education system.
He reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to upholding merit, transparency, and due process in all admission exercises.
Context: New Admission Reforms Explained
The clarification comes shortly after the Federal Government announced new admission guidelines aimed at expanding access to higher education.
Under the new policy:
- Mathematics is now only compulsory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses, while all candidates must still have five credit passes, including English Language.
- Polytechnics and Colleges of Education can admit students with a minimum of four relevant credits, depending on the program.
- The National Innovation Diploma (NID) has been replaced with the National Diploma (ND), to align with national academic standards.
According to the Ministry, these reforms could enable an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students to gain admission annually without compromising academic quality.
Dr. Alausa assured that the changes are designed to make Nigeria’s education system more flexible and inclusive, not to reduce academic standards.
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