JAMB will scrutinise unqualified candidates from writing 2019 exam ― Oloyede

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, on Sunday, said that the examination body would adopt stiffer measures to check incidences of unqualified candidates from  applying and writing the examination for the 2019/2020 admission exercise

He said this while fielding questions from journalists after delivering the 2018 annual Sobo Sowemimo Lecture of the Abeokuta Club, in Abeokuta,  the Ogun State capital.

Oloyede who was the guest lecturer at the event decried the rate at which candidates who are not qualified to write the examination applied for it, thereby, causing what he described as  “unnecessary luggage” on the body.

He submitted that JAMB would not allow anyone to take undue advantage over others,  saying the examination would not repeat the mistake it recorded in the last examination as regards this development.

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The JAMB Registrar said the body would commence the 2019/2020  examination process by October, promising that the procedure for the next examination would be better off than the last one.

Oloyede said, “We are on with 2018/2019 admission exercise. This we started just about a month ago. We believe that by the end of October we would then commence the 2019/2020 admission.

“I can assure you that we are fine-tuning and learning from our mistakes last year. We are perfecting the process and procedure particularly learning from tricks and ensuring that no one is allowed to have undue advantage over the others. This year, it will be better than last year.”

Continuing, Oloyede who refused to disclose exact figures of applicants expected for the 2019 exercise said there will be checks put in place to ensure that applicants are minimally qualified.

 “It is difficult to say the exact number of applicants we are expecting this time. We expect to crash the number because many of those who are taking the forms are not even prepared or qualified for the exam.

“Some are SS1 students who are just trying; contributing N5,000 unduly to our purse. We are putting in place some checks to make people who want to apply to be minimally qualified.

“That’s where we are moving to rather than creating unrealistic figures. We cannot say actually this is the figure but we are trying our effort to ensure that we don’t have unnecessary luggage. We are not interested in the money. We are interested in having adequate preparation for those who are genuine students,” he said further.

He, however, denied suggestions that the 2019 exams would be shifted due to the forthcoming general elections.

The JAMB Registrar said: “I don’t think there will be a shift in the examinations date because of next year’s elections. I believe INEC has done well by giving us prior notice six months ago, they had given us the date of the elections. So we have no excuses not to have adjusted. We have adjusted appropriately.”