Reps kick against unfair imposition of yearly JAMB examination on candidates

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed through Second Reading a bill which seeks to halt the imposition of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) on Candidates deprived of admission into tertiary institutions on yearly basis.

The private member, Hon. Tolulope Sadipe, seeks to amend the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Act and for related matters, by overhauling the existing Act most especially the validity of scores, tenure of Registrar and membership of the Board.

In her lead debate, Hon. Sadipe who frowned at the undue financial burden imposed on parents and their children who are subjected to untold hardship despite passing the examination.

She said: “When you look at the number of students that apply to the universities every year and the number that get in, it is definitely not their fault. So why should they be penalised?

“Everywhere in the world, there is no such exam that is valid or one year,” she noted.

Hon. Sadipe observed that GMAT is valid for a period of 5 years. While noting that a lot of parents are struggling to send their children and wards to schools are being burdened by JAMB to pay for the examinations on year on year basis, adding that most of the students who passed the JAMB examinations are also being compelled to write the same examination without any justifications.

While calling for a paradigm shift, she said: “We should not continue this way, likening us as a society to a ritualist, who sacrifices human beings for money. Why should our youths, our children be sacrificed on the altar of revenue generation by JAMB?”

In his intervention, the Deputy Minority leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu who called for redress, affirmed that parents and their wards are suffering from double jeopardy.

“The sponsor has discussed the economics of it. What she’s saying is that our children and the parents who fund their education have not just been suffering double jeopardy but have been suffering several jeopardies.

“What’s impossible is the prudence behind this amendment. I think the bill should go to committee so that the mischief she wants to cure doesn’t lead to a situation where we create another mischief. We should try to cure this problem she has raised,” he noted.

However, Hon. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta who requested for further clarification, said: “The picture is even clearer to me, the author of this Bill, is saying that other examinations outside this clime, lasts for five years within its eligibility. For example, if you take G whatever they can use it to grade you within the past three years.

“Is she asking that one sitting should be used for five years to gain admission? If the answer is yes then we create more problem that we seek to solve. One sitting should also be used for five years to gain admission? if the answer is no, then I don’t see the purpose for the amendment.”

Also at plenary, the House directed JAMB authorities to immediately conduct mop-up examinations for the affected candidates.

The resolution was passed after the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need for public officers/statutory bodies to be alert to their responsibilities in carrying out their statutory functions’, sponsored by Hon. Solomon Bob, who frowned at the undue treatment meted against the Candidates who could not participate in the examination due to technical hitches of the JAMB facilities.

He said: “The House notes that Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is solely saddled with the responsibility, amongst others, of conducting entrance examinations into the tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

“The House notes further that the Board conducted the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for the 2022/2023 academic session between 5th May to 14th May across the country amidst several complaints of technical hitches such as malfunctioning system or system failure in several CBT centres.