Education
Stakeholders, Not JAMB Pegged JAMB Cut-Off Marks At 120 –Oloyede Replies Critics
As controversy continues to trail the cut-off marks of 120 set for University admission this year, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB said it never imposed the cut off marks as widely reported, but the stakeholders did after a consensus
JAMB Registrar, Professor Is-haq Oloyede made this known after a meeting he held with stakeholders of tertiary education in Nigeria as he disclosed that the short-fall in the number of candidates who qualified for admission this year was the reason the cut of marks was lowered so abysmally.
He said only 569, 395 of the 1.7 million candidates that wrote this year’s UTME scored over 200 marks.
Quoiting from statistics, the JAMB Registrar said many tertiary institutions in Nigeria experienced shortfalls in the number of applications for admissions in their school because the number of applicants who scaled the WAEC hurdles and at the same time scored more than 200 in their JAMB exam was nut more than 15 percent.
He said even when the Cut off mark for admission was lowered to 190, those who could obtain admission with secured WAEC result were not more than 18 percent.
He said the situation was so bad that most tertiary institutions had to beg JAMB for candidates to be admitted amid other shortcomings, which, according to him were beyond them.
The Registrar recalled that some institutions in the past even admitted candidate who never sat for JAMB to make up for the gap in the admission process, while facing the hurdle of having to regularize the illegally admitted students after completion of their studies.
Oloyede said the number candidates who scored 200 and above in the last JAMB exam represents just about a third of the students who sat for the examination. The total score for the UTME exam is 400.
He said 23.8 per cent of the total number of the candidates scored below 160 marks.
He said the stakeholders unanimously agreed that the minimum cut-off marks for university degree is to stand at 120.
The stakeholders, according to him, peg that of Polytechnic to be 100, College of Education 100, while National Innovative Enterprise Institution remained at 110 marks.
The registrar said the timelines for admission of first choice was October 15, while second choice would be December 15.
Mr. Oloyede urged the heads of the various tertiary institutions to set their modalities for admissions exercises as it was not the board’s responsibility.
He said that no candidate without O’ Level prerequisite would be offered admission.
“JAMB has a Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) to aid you on the admission exercises.
“CAPS will not replace admission processes of institutions. It will enable institutions to simply communicate with JAMB in a more dynamic and timely manner.
“It will also allow for flexible cut-off marks and candidates are allowed to make their choice of institution and course,” he said.
The registrar, however, appealed to heads of institutions not to charge more than N2,000 for admissions’ processes.
In his remark, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, commended the board for conducting the UTME.
According to him, the stakeholders have worked together to create synergy for advancement of education in the country.
“We restate our commitment to ensure expansion of access to students in our institutions.
“To ensure equity in regard to rural and urban areas; we are committed to refocusing our curricula to meet our development need,” he said.
The Oyo State Government has announced the appointment of Mr. Adewunmi Joseph Ogunjimi as the Acting Registrar and Mr. David Olukola Taiwo as the Acting Bursar of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
According to a statement released by Soladoye Adewole, the Polytechnic’s Public Relations Officer, the appointment letters were issued on behalf of the State Government by the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, and were dated 8th April. These appointments were endorsed by the Acting Rector of the institution, Dr. Taiwo Lasisi.
Adewunmi Joseph Ogunjimi, the newly appointed Acting Registrar, brings a wealth of administrative experience to his new role. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Deputy Registrar of the Directorate of Academic Affairs at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Ogunjimi holds a B.Sc degree in Psychology from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and an MSc in Industrial Psychology from the University of Ibadan.
His journey in academia began at Prospect High School, Aba Nla, where he completed his secondary education between 1973 and 1978. Ogunjimi’s tenure at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, spans several years, during which he held various administrative positions, showcasing his prowess as an administrative wizard.
David Olukola Taiwo, the newly appointed Acting Bursar, comes with extensive experience in financial management. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Chief Accountant at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Taiwo began his career at the institution in March 1994, joining as an Accountant II. Over the years, he climbed the ranks to become the Chief Accountant in 2015. Taiwo holds multiple qualifications in accounting and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCE).
His contributions within the Bursary Department, including roles such as Head of the Treasury Unit and Head of the Final Accounts Unit, underscore his proficiency in financial matters.
Both Ogunjimi and Taiwo are described as family-oriented individuals, happily married and blessed with responsible children.
The appointments of Mr. Adewunmi Joseph Ogunjimi and Mr. David Olukola Taiwo signify a new chapter in the administrative landscape of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, as they assume their respective roles with dedication and expertise.
Education
UI’s 545th inaugural lecture: Pogoson urges Tinubu to review foreign policy amid global shifts
Professor Aituaje Irene Pogoson, a scholar at the University of Ibadan (UI), has emphasised the pressing need for a more coherent elucidation of President Bola Tinubu’s 4-D renewed foreign policy doctrine.
This assertion was made during her delivery of the university’s 545th inaugural lecture entitled “The World in Transition: Understanding Power in the International System.”
Addressing a diverse audience including prominent academics and former Vice-Chancellors, Professor Pogoson underscored the imperative for Nigeria to confront a myriad of socio-economic and political challenges to assert its position in the evolving global landscape.
The lecture, marking the 14th in the series for the 2022/2023 academic session and the 11th inaugural lecture from the Department of Political Science, highlighted the urgency for Nigeria to recalibrate its foreign policy strategy.
Speaking passionately, Professor Pogoson, the first female lecturer and Head of the Department of Political Science at the university, lamented Nigeria’s current positioning within the global order, stressing the need for the country to maintain respect and relevance internationally.
She emphasised the necessity for Nigeria to re-strategize and re-formulate its foreign policy framework to effectively address both internal and external dynamics.
In analysing President Tinubu’s administration’s efforts towards repositioning Nigeria on the global stage, Professor Pogoson acknowledged the unveiling of ‘Nigeria’s 4-D Renewed Foreign Policy Doctrine,’ comprising Democracy, Demography, Development, and Diaspora.
However, she urged for a clearer articulation of this doctrine, advocating for concrete policies and actions to be outlined.
This marked Professor Pogoson’s third public lecture at the university, following her previous engagements addressing issues ranging from terrorism and national security to global power shifts.
President Bola Tinubu marked a significant milestone on Wednesday as he officially signed the National Students Loan Amendment bill into law during a brief ceremony held at the State House.
The event witnessed the presence of esteemed dignitaries including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, Ministers Hannatu Musawa and Ayodele Olawande, as well as the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, alongside other government officials and presidential aides.
The bill, initially endorsed by Tinubu in June 2023, aims to provide crucial financial assistance to Nigerian students pursuing tertiary education. Despite its previous signing, the implementation of the bill encountered delays attributed to various challenges hindering its rollout.
In his remarks following the signing, President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for their swift handling of the bill, emphasising the pivotal role of education in combating poverty.
He stated, “First of all, I must thank members of the National Assembly for their expeditious handling of this bill considering the children of Nigeria, that education is the tool to fight against poverty effectively.”
Tinubu reiterated the government’s commitment to prioritising education and fostering skills development programmes to ensure equitable access to quality education for all Nigerian citizens, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.
He underscored the importance of eliminating barriers to education, stating, “We are determined to ensure that education is given the proper attention necessary for the country including skills development programmes. This is to ensure that no one, no matter how poor their background is, is excluded from quality education and opportunity to build their future.”
Highlighting the significance of the bill, Tinubu emphasised the transformative impact it will have on addressing the issue of college dropout rates among Nigerian students.
He affirmed, “We are here because we are all educated and were helped. In the past, we have seen a lot of our children drop out of college and give up the opportunity. That is no more, the standard and the control is there for you to apply no matter who you are as long as you are a Nigerian citizen.”
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