By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA – THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,JAMB,has explained that it extended the sale of its 2019 Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, for the federal government to formally approved the N3,500 it has reduced it to.
It further explained it picked next year for registration of UTME candidates because it wanted the reduction in the cost of selling its forms approved by the Federal Government to take effect.
Cross section of candidates during an exam
Chairman, JAMB Governoning Board, Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe, disclosed these at an event to celebrate some staff of the board who retired recently in Abuja.
He explained that the reduction followed recommendations made by management and board of JAMB to the government because it was becoming difficult for some parents to raise the N5,000 currently charged by the board.
Although he commended the government for approving the reduction, Dr. Ndukwe said it would affect the amount that JAMB would return to the federal government next year.
“You are aware that the Federal Governmeng has reduced the cost of JAMB forms from N5,000 to N3,500 but it is going to take effect from next year. Therefore, if we now starts selling the forms today, we will still sell at the cost of N5,000 because the approval does not cover for now. That is why we have shifted the sale of JAMB form to any day from first of January.
“it is a very good move from the federal government based on our recommendation. We recommended to the federal government. Even though we are returning money to the coffers of the federal government, our primary objective is not just to make money because that money is coming from somewhere and it is difficult for some people to raise that money and pay for JAMB form even though JAMB form is among the cheapest in the whole world.
“Considering the spirit of president Muhammadu Buhari, he is a man of the people. Whatever he will do in the interest of the masses he will do it. So he graciously accepted the recommendations from JAMB management and board to reduce the price and that will also reduce the amount of money that JAMB will return to the coffers of the government from next year but it is good for the general good of the populace,”he said.
It was also learnt that the board had so far offered admission to 470,000 students.
“As we were in the board meeting, admission were still going on. On the screen we were seeing it. It is changing by the minute,” he said.
Dr. Ndukwe said the board will fully implement the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS).
“We are looking forward to the full implementation of CAPS. That is the best thing that will happen to education in Nigeria. If any child is qualified, central admission processing system will guarantee that that person is admitted. People should be patient and pray as we are implementing CAPS, let is come into full operation from 2019.
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“You don’t need to know anybody to have admission and that is our mission now,” he added.