How Private Universities Forced JAMB to Lower Cut-off Mark

Abysmally low student enrollment into private universities in the country has been identified as the major reason the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) recently lowered the minimum cut-off mark for Nigerian universities in the 2017/2018 academic session to 120.

According to data released to THISDAY by the spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, most private universities already had their minimum cut-off marks set at 120, even before the decision by the board and other stakeholders involved in tertiary education (including private and public polytechnics and colleges of education) nationwide.

JAMB released the data following the outcry by several Nigerians and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that it was lowering standards in the tertiary education sector by setting 120 as the minimum entry mark for admission into schools of higher learning, which represents 30 per cent of the total score of 400.

A review of the information provided by JAMB showed that of the 293 tertiary institutions in the country, only five universities – University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, University of Lagos (Unilag) and University of Benin (Uniben) – pegged their minimum cut-off marks at 200 (50 per cent out of a total score of 400), while only the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, among the entire tertiary institutions set 190 (47.5 per cent) as its cut-off mark.
THISDAY, August 31, 2017

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now