‘Don’t Bribe Anyone, Protest Instead’ — JAMB Tells Parents, Candidates Over Admission Bias

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has called on parents and candidates who believe they have been unfairly denied admission to immediately report such cases instead of seeking illegal shortcuts.

Speaking during an appearance on the Nigerian Television Authority’s Good Morning Nigeria programme, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, said the Board’s admission process has become more transparent and easier to monitor through the Central Admission Processing System.

Global Mirror News gathered that Prof. Oloyede urged candidates who are certain that their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination scores meet the admission requirements of their chosen Institutions to formally challenge any perceived injustice.

According to him, many parents still attempt to influence the admission process through backdoor channels because they have become accustomed to illegal practices.

“Many people believe there is no other way because they have climbed the ladder of illegality. Parents often send me their children’s scores and ask what I can do. I tell them I will do nothing, and later the child still gets admitted because the process works,” he said.

The JAMB registrar stressed that the Central Admission Processing System, popularly known as CAPS, now makes it easier for candidates to monitor their admission status and identify whether any Institution is acting unfairly.

He explained that candidates who believe they deserve admission should not remain silent.

“If you are sure of your score and you know you should have been admitted, protest to us. CAPS has made everything easy and transparent,” Oloyede stated.

Global Mirror News reports that CAPS was introduced by JAMB to eliminate admission racketeering, multiple admissions and manipulation of merit lists by Tertiary Institutions.

Oloyede disclosed that since the system was fully implemented in 2017, JAMB has not recorded any major complaint suggesting that CAPS failed in its responsibilities.

He said the technology-driven platform has significantly reduced human interference in admissions and has helped ensure that only qualified candidates are offered placements.

The registrar also addressed concerns surrounding direct entry admissions, revealing that JAMB has tightened its screening process for candidates presenting advanced-level qualifications such as JUPEB and IJMB.

According to him, the board now conducts stricter checks to prevent the use of forged results and fake certificates.

He revealed that the number of candidates attempting to use fraudulent documents for direct entry has dropped steadily since 2023 because many now know that JAMB verifies every document submitted.

“Every year, the rate is reducing. This year alone, we detected and stopped 77 cases. We now check JUPEB, IJMB and other qualifications right from the point of entry, making it nearly impossible to forge results,” he said.

Oloyede further disclosed that JAMB has expanded its verification process to include university degrees presented by candidates, especially those from foreign institutions.

He said some candidates had attempted to use fake foreign degrees for admission purposes, but the institutions involved later confirmed that the certificates did not originate from them.

“This year, about four or five foreign institutions informed us that the degrees presented in their names were fake,” he said.

The JAMB boss explained that such cases were more common in the past because the board previously did not scrutinise advanced-level qualifications and foreign certificates as thoroughly as it does today.

He added that JAMB now works closely with university administrators and education experts to ensure the integrity of the admission process is protected.

The latest warning from JAMB comes amid growing concerns among parents and students over alleged admission bias and the activities of fraudsters who promise guaranteed admission for a fee.

The board insisted that candidates should rely only on official channels and report any suspicious activity instead of paying money to middlemen.