Varsities have enough space for all, says JAMB Registrar

Contrary to the perception that there is paucity of space for qualified candidates in the nation’s universities, the Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, has said that the available space of 600,000 in over 150 universities across the country could accommodate the biggest chunk of admission seekers.

Oloyede said this last week at a special forum with top officials of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) on the on-going 2018/2019 admission exercise.

The Registrar said about 700,000 candidates of the 1.6 million that took the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) had the minimum requirement of O’ level credits in five subjects (including English Language and Mathematics) needed for admission.

Considering this, he said the call for the establishment of more universities was unjustifiable, adding that it would create more problems, particularly if established by state governments as they would suffer perennial under-funding.

Oloyede said under his watch, JAMB had introduced some technology-driven innovations which, he said had returned the power of admission back to institutions of higher learning.

He assured that for as long as such institutions adhere strictly to statutory regulations, the hi-cups often faced by some universities in the admission process would become a thing of the past.

The JAMB Registrar, who was a former Vice-Chancellor of the university, responded to questions raised by the members of the audience on the admission issues.

He also applauded UNILORIN’s reputation as the most subscribed, most internationalised and most peaceful in Nigeria.

Oloyede praised its management and members of staff for their support to JAMB aimed at improving the credibility of the UTME.

While disclosing that JAMB had sought approval to use part of its annual revenue to support universities’ developmental efforts based on certain parameters, Oloyede encouraged UNILORIN not to rest on its oars as sister universities were working assiduously to upstage it in several areas.

Earlier, the UNILORIN VC, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, thanked Oloyede for his relentless support for the growth of the university.

Abdulkareem added that UNILORIN was always proud of his industry, integrity, accomplishments and rising profile and assured him that the university would continue to work with JAMB to address some of the identified inadequacies in the on-going admission process.

The event was attended by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, UNILORIN, Dr. Abdullah Jibril Oyekan (OFR), all the Principal Officers, Deans of the various faculties, members of staff of the Admissions Office, and other top officials.

Credit: The Nation