Last week’s media coverage focused on key revelations from the yearly Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) National Policy meeting, where admission score requirements are established.
During the meeting, all institutions submitted their required scores, which were then reviewed and agreed upon by heads of institutions, including vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, registrars, and admission officers. This year, the minimum score was set at 140 for universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education, consistent with the previous year’s benchmarks.
While the setting of these minimum scores went relatively smoothly, a notable point of contention emerged when Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, insisted that the entry age for tertiary institutions should be 18 years. This decision sparked debate and highlighted the complexities of the admission process, illustrating why candidates with high UTME scores may still struggle to secure admission despite meeting the established thresholds.
