Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Ibadan Chapter, Professor Segun Ajiboye has asked the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde to stop promoting a policy to favour private universities and exploit the poor.
Ajiboye stated that JAMB’s relevance in Nigeria ended when universities started conducting their own post-UTME examinations saying that the examinations cannot solely be relied on for admission by universities.
The UI ASUU boss stated that the Senate of universities, not JAMB determine the type of students to admit within set of approved criteria open to all candidates.
Speaking on a TV programme monitored in Ibadan on the recent policy of redistribution of candidates by JAMB, Ajiboye noted that it was sad that JAMB has suddenly become promoters of private university by imposing an unpopular policy on the preferences and choices of Nigerian youths.
”JAMB lacks the power to change the rules of admission in the middle of the process after deceiving candidates to pick university, polytechnic and colleges of education as options when sold out forms to them”.
Ajiboye alleged that the JAMB boss had been compromised by investors in private universities when two percent of the applicants picked them as preferred choice of institution.
While noting that JAMB must respect the right of choice of candidates, Ajiboye said it was fraudulent and not in the interest of the children of the masses for JAMB to use force to get candidates for private universities.
”JAMB’s concept of ‘needy’ institutions needs deconstruction here. Needy universities are basically private universities in Nigeria who charge exorbitant fees with less than required manpower.
“In the 2015 UTME applications, 15,000 of the close to 1,436,837 million candidates sought admission into 48 private universities. Of these, Covenant, Babcock and Afe Babalola universities had 3,144; 1,985 and 1,247 applicants respectively.
“Others had below 600 applicants with some like Southwestern University, Well spring University and Kwararafa University having less than 10 candidates! If not doing the bidding of private universities, JAMB ought to be open with his policy from the point of sale of the forms. JAMB must tell us how many public universities are under-subscribed.”
Ajiboye noted that JAMB is only a clearing house and to do geographical balancing of using federal character noting that such functions have now ceased since all zones have federal universities with some states having two universities.
He said private universities are already in crisis because they can no longer pay salaries of their staff due to non-preference by candidates adding that course of study, proximity and affordability have always guided the choice of candidates in selecting tertiary institutions.
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