By Gabriella Ogbu
In anticipation of the 2024 Policy Meeting on tertiary institution admissions, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reaffirmed that each school retains autonomy in determining its minimum entry scores. Contrary to misconceptions, JAMB clarified that it does not impose uniform national UTME scores, commonly referred to as “cut-off marks.”
Under the current system, universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education establish their own admission standards, which are finalized at the annual Policy Meeting on Admissions. This process involves stakeholders from across Nigeria’s educational sector, including ASUU, regulatory bodies, and institutional heads.
Scheduled for July 18, 2024, this year’s Policy Meeting will set guidelines for the admission exercise, ensuring transparency and adherence to agreed-upon standards. Institutions submit their proposed minimum scores to JAMB, which oversees the process through its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), preventing admissions below approved thresholds.
“It’s crucial to dispel the misconception of a national minimum UTME score,” stated JAMB, emphasizing that admissions decisions consider various factors beyond UTME results, such as O/L grades and post-UTME screenings.