The Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has issued a stern warning to tertiary institutions, particularly universities, to cease the practice of admitting underage students. Speaking at the opening of the seventh biennial conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN) on Tuesday in Lagos, Prof. Oloyede emphasized that this ‘illegal’ practice must be terminated to preserve the integrity and accountability of the nation’s education system.

Prof. Oloyede highlighted the severity of the issue with a recent example, recounting how he received a letter from a European country questioning the legitimacy of a 15-year-old Nigerian student’s university degree. “About two months ago, I received a letter from a European country to confirm if a student actually graduated from a particular university because she is 15 years old and applied for a postgraduate course,” Oloyede explained. “The question they asked me was, ‘Is this possible in Nigeria?’ I had to call the Vice Chancellor of the institution, and he confirmed the student graduated from the university but was not admitted by JAMB. He had to include that he was not the VC at the time the student was admitted.”

The Registrar called for greater accountability among state-owned universities, noting that they outnumber federal universities. He also addressed the issue of illegal admissions of diploma students, revealing that last year, JAMB admitted 9,000 diploma students, with 3,000 coming from a single university. “Everyone of us should be accountable because all these acts can damage our education system,” he said.

Former Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, also spoke at the conference, urging pro-chancellors to develop strategies to enhance the competence and attractiveness of state universities to match that of federal and private institutions. Prof. Gambari stressed the importance of retaining top faculty and staff to attract the best students, suggesting that state universities carve out specific niches to exploit their comparative advantages.

Sen. Joshua Lidani, Chairman of COPSUN and Pro-Chancellor of Gombe State University, highlighted the various challenges facing the university system, including corrupt practices, impersonation, ‘miracle’ exam centers, inadequate funding, and the proliferation of universities. He also pointed to the issues arising from the premature dissolution of governing councils and boards, and the delay in reconstituting them, which leaves significant administrative gaps and leads to numerous anomalies.

“Incessant strike action by ASUU and other labor unions and the attendant consequences on stability, quality, and standards are symptomatic of the deep malaise affecting the system,” Lidani noted. He expressed hope that the conference could raise public awareness and provide guidance on addressing these challenges, ultimately improving governance, standards, and quality in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

The COPSUN chairman concluded by expressing confidence that the conference could offer a way forward, advising stakeholders on how to play a more effective role in elevating the standards of education in Nigeria.