Ishaq Oloyede, registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has called on candidates and parents to challenge alleged admission bias if they are confident in their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.
Speaking during an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) aired on Tuesday, Oloyede urged those who believe they were unjustly denied admission despite meeting requirements to formally lodge complaints.
According to him, JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) has simplified and improved transparency in the admission process, making it easier to detect irregularities.
“If you are sure of your score and believe you deserve admission but were not admitted, you should protest to us because CAPS has made everything easy,” he said.
Oloyede also criticised the growing acceptance of illegal practices in the admission process, noting that some parents assume backdoor methods are the only route. He stressed that merit-based admission remains possible without manipulation.
He recounted instances where concerned parents reached out to him directly, only for their children to gain admission without any intervention. “I did nothing,” he emphasised, attributing such outcomes to the transparency of the system.
The JAMB registrar further stated that since its introduction in 2017, CAPS has operated without major issues and is capable of handling admissions efficiently without external interference.
Addressing concerns around direct entry admissions, Oloyede revealed that JAMB has intensified verification processes to curb certificate fraud. He noted a decline in the number of applicants exploiting the system, as stricter monitoring has made forgery increasingly difficult.
“Since 2023, the rates have dropped significantly. Many people no longer apply for direct entry because they know we are supervising thoroughly,” he said, adding that dozens of fraudulent cases have already been detected this year.
He assured that programmes such as JUPEB and IJMB are now closely scrutinised at the point of entry, reinforcing JAMB’s commitment to maintaining integrity in Nigeria’s admission process.
Credit: TheCable
