Those criticizing new cut-off points are ignorant of facts, JAMB fires back

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede has condemned the criticisms that have continued to trail the announcement of the cut-off marks for admissions into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and monotechnics for the 2017/2018 academic session.
He described those accusing the examination body of lowering the nation’s academic standard of being ignorant of facts, saying Nigerians are always too quick to pass judgements without studying issues.
Oloyede, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday afternoon at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, said realities have shown that within the last 10 years no higher institution in the country has admitted more than 70 per cent of their admission quota.
He said the new cut-off points, which he noted was a joint decision of all stakeholders including vice-chancellors, provosts, rectors, among others, are not imposed on the institutions, but that it has only widened the margin of those who are eligible for admissions among the candidates.
According to Oloyede, the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which his body conducts, is not a qualifying examination but a ranking test, and that the qualifying particular of every candidate seeking admission is by obtaining credits in five subjects including English and Mathematics in the Senior School Certificate Examination results.
The registrar also added that the reality checks conducted by the examination body and other relevant stakeholders have shown that academic institutions had been admitting candidates with marks below 120 in the past through the back doors, and that the new approach is only aimed at ensuring transparency, and to curb capital flight abroad by Nigerian students.