The Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has issued a stern warning to tertiary institutions in Nigeria, particularly universities, against admitting underage students. Speaking on Tuesday in Lagos at the opening of the seventh biennial conference of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria, Oloyede emphasized that such actions are illegal.
He also highlighted the need to stop all forms of illegal admissions, stressing that for the sake of accountability, data protection, and the integrity of the nation, these irregularities must cease.
Oloyede recounted an incident involving a 15-year-old student who applied for a postgraduate course abroad. “About two months ago, I received a letter from a European country to confirm if a student actually graduated from a particular university because she is 15 years old and applied for a postgraduate course. The question they asked me is, ‘Is this possible in Nigeria?’ I had to call the Vice Chancellor of the institution, and he confirmed the student graduated from the university but was not admitted by JAMB. He also mentioned that he was not the VC at the time the student was admitted,” Oloyede explained.
Additionally, Oloyede warned against the illegal admission of diploma students. “Last year, we admitted 9,000 diploma students; I was alarmed that about 3,000 students came from a particular university. Everyone of us should be accountable because all these acts can damage our education system,” he added.
