Education

JAMB cuts UTME fees for people living with disabilities

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced a reduction in the registration fee for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from N5,000 to N3,500 for visually impaired candidates and those with other disabilities.

This move aims to improve access to tertiary education for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

JAMB Registrar Is-haq Oloyede made the announcement during a press briefing on Monday in Abuja, in anticipation of the board’s Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) first Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education (ARCEAHED), which is set to take place on September 17-18, 2024, at the Idris Abdulkadir Conference Hall of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Maitama, Abuja.

Oloyede emphasised the importance of ensuring equitable access to quality education, stating, “JAMB’s Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) will hold its First Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education (ARCEAHED) to enhance access to higher education for PWDs and improve the learning environment in tertiary institutions across Africa.”

The conference will feature participants from countries including Ethiopia, Malawi, and Egypt.

He further highlighted JAMB’s commitment to inclusivity: “It is not enough to simply open doors of opportunity; we must ensure that these doors are accessible to everyone, irrespective of their physical, sensory, or cognitive abilities.”

The conference is expected to address key challenges and explore innovative solutions to improve educational access for PWDs, emphasising the belief that education is a fundamental human right and should be inclusive across the continent.

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