The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has remitted N3.51 billion to the federal government as operating surplus for 2021. The Board registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, continues his turnaround which makes him one of the finest public servants in the nation; well done Prof. He turned a money-losing Board into a surplus-making one.
But as Nigeria celebrates this continuous record from JAMB, I want to be on record as one person who will not commend JAMB. While it is uncommon, in Nigeria, to see a leadership that is prudent to have managed resources and then honestly returned excesses to the Federal Government, I think using data from the last few years, by now, this would not be necessary in JAMB.
Yes, JAMB should reduce fees or waive fees on many things and help Nigerian families instead of keeping its current cost model. It has been declaring surpluses for years, largely due to having top-rate management, but it is time we do the right thing: there is no need to be sending money to that ocean called the Federal Government purse which swallows whatever goes in , with largely nothing to show.
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Alternatively, the university system through National Universities Commission and allied regulators should enter an MOU so that JAMB will use the excess funds to offer reduced tuition in all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, both public and private, in Nigeria.
Nigeria MUST not make JAMB a revenue generating institution like NNPC and Corporate Affairs Commission. That message must be clear! For everything wrong in Nigeria, affordable education remains the only gift – and we can open the entrance phase for more families.
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Comment #1: It’s sad that prospective undergraduates have to rewrite jamb, after passing but couldn’t secure admission into the university. Jamb can create a policy that guides students whose results scale over let’s say 200,have their results valid for 2 or 3 years, should they not be admitted into the higher institution In that current year they wrote the exam.
Not gaining admission in the current year is enough to demoralise any prospective student from rewriting the said exam, also considering the unavailability of space to accommodate new entrants in these universities nationwide.
Comment #2: Prof. JAMB had reduced the application form fee when the same man came on board in his first tenure. Again, the surge in revenue I guess has to do with the continuous yearly increases in enrollees’ population.
Now to me, N3,500 as an application fee is moderate for an annual examination. This fee is not even up to what an average family or even the JAMB candidate spends on data or airtime weekly in Nigeria.
Sometime, I do ask myself what do we really wants in this country, get every government service free?
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Response to #2- in your analysis, you ‘forgot?’ to mention the corrupt practices of the previous management which has put the Prof Dibu Ojerinde in trouble. To me, the money Prof Dibu plundered is the one being paid into the national treasury.
As noted the current leadership of JAMB deserves national awards. No question there. But I do not want JAMB to be sending money to government!
My concern is not the application for but the correction fee. If candidates are paying #3500 for fresh application which will require filling biodata, select institution, fill olevel result details and biometry cost #3500 to jamb and #700 to CBT center, why should correction in any of this cost as much as #2500 to jamb and additional #700 or even more to CBT centres.
It’s extortion. spending #3500 to do only change of institution or course. #700 or more for result uploading at the CBT center. Jamb should not charge more than #1000 for correction and allow it to be done by candidates without going to CBT centre.
U have done a good analysis but let me clear you on something you mentioned about CBT charges… No CBT center collects more than #200 from candidates making corrections.. these same CBT centers are being used to generate this huge funds and are left to struggle for survival without incentives to support for it’s technological upgrades.. and lastly all d candidates who paid for Jamb exams and are unable to write dis exams don’t get refunds. What happens to their money.. who accounts for it… Please there are more than u know concerning d surplus from JAMB.
Indeed Extortion of the highest-other!
No one is a victimless of corruption in now a days Nigeria sectors. Jamb registration fee is okay@3500 and no money should be collected of any further correction be it changing of course or uploading of result except cafe charge that’s for the candidates who are not computer literate.
#1 I write in support of this comment that JAMB would be fair to Nigeria candidates if the result can last for a minimum of two years.For instance,a candidate who could not gain admission as a result of under age , financial constraints or health issue even after passing the exams should not be made to purchase the form again the follow year. It is demoralizing.
I don’t think JAMB is making money from registration fee, they are making money from others means like generation of profile code which 50 naira whether successful or not, this should be reduced to 10 naira or scrap.
Before once you registered you don’t pay any other fee, but now JAMB has tactically commercialise everything.
Let JAMB charge everything together, then you will know that JAMB are robbing people silently.
What you spend at the end of the day is a minimum of 15k on JAMB.
The current Regisrar has not done anything special he has transferred the spend to the candidate rather than they charging for everything.
Eyin people won yi Saaa!
Jamb in really doing a great job, it has proven its integrity. It is now left for the federal government to make us of this funds to strengthen our educational sector.
N3500 Registration charges is affordable to the common Nigerian.
N2700 for correction of data (which is by choice) is also affordable.
N200 for Upload of Olevel/Alevel result is also affordable..
What should be considered is These Jamb CBT centre are under paid. They gain only N600 for each candidate that sit for the examination in their centre.
Establishing a CBT Centre is Capital intensive.
You spend nothing less than 25, to 30 million. With the current N600 jamb pays, it may take you 10-15 years to recover what you spent.