The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matricuation Board(JAMB) has differed with
proponents of the argument that the standard of education is falling, saying the standard is not faling but people are falling below the standard.
The Registrar had said for the fact that some people say “standard is falling” means there exists a standard and quality in the nation educational landscape.
He pointed out that some people never went to school but they are certificated through dubious means, stating that it is the acquisition of these dubious certificates being paraded by people of questionable characters, who do not merit it, that
need to be addressed because such
practices tend to compromise existing standards.
He said, “We need to look at the system that allows that. We need to investigate it and bring perpetrators to book.”
Prof. Oloyede, who spoke recently as a guest on NigeriaTelevision Authority (NTA) programme, “Good morning Nigeria” on the review of the 2024 UTME, said, “The standard of education has not fallen but people
are falling below standard and expectations” adding that people, who are not worthy of the certificates they parade in character andearning, have crept into the system causing colateral damages to the system.
The Registrar recaled that in the past when a candidate applied for Direct Entry, the Board would simply ask awarding institutions to do the necessary screening and due diligence.
He stated that JAMB was shocked by the revelations from Bayero University, Kano, where out of the 148 Direct Entry applications to the institution, only six of the certificates forwarded for processing were genuine.
The Registrar added that it was the discovery of the fraud that prompted the meeting of critical stakeholders, who met to chart ways of combating the menace and to
safeguard the integrity of our educational system particularly the A/L certificate value chain.
Prof Oloyede pointed out that, JAMB had, as part of efforts to arrest this unwholesome practice, constituted the Nigeria Post-secondary Education Data System (NIPEDS).
As part of its operational processes,
NIPEDS had written to all tertiary institutions in the country to facilitate the verification of the A’level certificates of their respective students in line with its provision of “No Verification, No Admissions.”
“It should be of grave concern if no one respects the certificate one is holding; hence, there is a need to safeguard the integrity of A’level certificates that are used to secure admission through measures that would stand the test of time,” he
explained.
