UTME: Breaching admission process, an act of corruption –Minister

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu has warned that the management of any tertiary institution found culpable in offering admission to candidates outside the Central Admission Procession System (CAPS) would be treated for alleged corruption.  

The minister who made this disclosure at the commissioning of new general services department building at JAMB headquarters in Bwari on Monday, urged all institutions to play according to the rules by conducting all the admission processes exclusively through CAPS.

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While congratulating the board on the introduction of CAPS, Mallam Adamu said that the initiative has reformed the admission procedure in the interest of ordinary candidates irrespective of where they come from.  

‘’The Central Admission Procession System ensures due process, fairness, discipline and equity. It is through the automated system that ordinary Nigerians are now hopeful of not being denied their rightful place in the admission exercise.

‘’It is also instructive that CAPS protects the traditional right of senate or academic board of the institutions since CAPS does not allow anyone other than the admission officer and the vice- chancellors, rectors or provosts to initiate, propose or recommend any candidate for admission, but it also requires documentation and tracking of any deviation by the institutions from the approved policy on admission,’’ Adamu added.

The minister called on candidates billed to sit for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) coming up in the next few days to desist from all forms of examination malpractices.

He added that the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari is poised to reposition the country in all ramifications.

‘’This administration detest all forms of corruption including examination malpractices and admission racketeering.

‘’We must change the narrative about our country from a corruption infested nation to that of a hardworking and proud people which we were hitherto known for.

‘’We must change our mindset and our present values, and this can be achieved with the reorientation of the nation’s youths, majoprity of who are the candidates and clients of JAMB,’’ the minster stated.

Earlier, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede in his remarks said that there would be no extension of registration beyond the February 17 deadline.

He also disclosed that about 2 million prospective candidates have registered for the UTME, which according to him is the highest number ever recorded.

“There will be no extension for the registration of candidates for both the UTME and the Direct Entry (DE). The board is pleased with the way the exercise has gone so far and with this, we have registered over 1.9 million candidates.

“This figure is the highest that the board has ever recorded in the history of its examination,’’ Prof. Oloyede said.