By MIKAIL MUMUNI
Candidates who sat for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will soon know the cut off marks of the different courses they applied for.
Decision on the cut off marks will be taken at the JAMB 2020 Policy Meeting of all tertiary institutions scheduled for 16th June,2020 which will be presided over by Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education.
*L-R: Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB Registrar*
The 2020 Policy Meeting will however be different from the previous ones, according to the latest edition of JAMBulletin made available on Sunday to The State Online by Dr Fabian Benjamin, JAMB Head of Media and Information.
According to the bulletin, “The 2020 Policy Meeting is peculiar as it will go down in history as the first Policy Meeting that will be holding online owing to the COVID-19 Pandemic. It would be recalled that part of the protocols put in place by government to curb the spread of COVID-19 requires that no gathering of persons exceeds prescribed numbers.
“Compliance with this directive has become imperative as no fewer than 4000 Heads of Tertiary Institutions comprising degree, diploma, NCE and NID-awarding institutions and other stakeholders would normally be expected to congregate at a location but because of extant protocols, would now be expected to participate in the virtual meeting.”
JAMBulletin added that “The modalities for the meeting would entail the Board issuing only one access code to each participating institution to join the meeting. This access code is not to be shared or given to unauthorized persons. However, other critical stakeholders within the institutions like the Registrars, Admissions Officers can cluster around a big screen in a location to attend the meeting using the unique access code.”
The weekly newsletter disclosed that “The Honourable Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, would preside over the meeting with other stakeholders and top functionaries of the Education Ministry joining in from the operational base. Heads of regulatory agencies and other critical stakeholders such as chairmen of committees on Education at the Lower and Upper Chambers of the National Assembly are also expected to join the meeting.”
It stressed that “The meeting will discuss critical issues bordering on the advances made in the educational sector in the last one year in addition to setting the tone for the 2020/2021 Admission exercise. The meeting will also chart policy directions for the nation’s tertiary institutions, set admission guidelines and make a holistic review of application statistics, performance as well as evaluate the 2019 admissions exercise.
“The meeting, in addition to other deliberations, would take a stand on concessional and acceptable minimum admissions standards to be applied in all admissions to be undertaken by all tertiary institutions in Nigeria.”
JAMBulletin said “ The meeting, would be streamed live on the Board’s website; www.jamb.gov.ng, its facebook, JAMBulletin and other social media platforms.”
In a related development, JAMB has said candidates in the just-concluded 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can now print their result notification slips.
According to JAMBulletin, “The results which had earlier been made available through text to candidates on request by them but are now requesting for a printed version can now be printed free from the Board website: www.jamb.gov.ng. “
It explained that “All a candidate needs to do after visiting the site is to click on QUICK LINKS, then on “EFacility” where the candidate would be required to provide his/her registration details and the result notification slip would be displayed for printing.”
It said “The printing of the result notification slip is free as it is different from the original result slips that comes with the candidate’s picture. Candidates can print their result notification slip anywhere in the country even from the comfort of their homes once there is internet access. The Board has, until now, restricted the printing of result notification slips and had made it available to candidates only through SMS to avoid anxiety on the part candidates as well as prevent clustering at cybercafes with the attendant risk of COVID-19 contagion all in a bid to print result notifications. This new development, however, is predicated on the gradual easing of the lockdown and resumption of economic activities in most parts of the country.”
The bulletin said “ The Board wishes to advise candidates to be wary of fraudulent elements masquerading as JAMB agents stating that it has not mandated any person or group to do the printing on behalf of the Board. Candidates are to note also that delegating this responsibility to third parties could result in wilful manipulation of their results. Recall that last year some candidates who abused this privilege by attempting to manipulate their scores were caught and are currently saving various jail terms.
“Candidates are advised to note that any attempt to forge the slip would attract stiff sanctions. The decentralization of printing of result notification slips was done mainly to comply with the directives of the NCDC and other relevant agencies on social distancing. It is against this background that the Board is urging candidates to note and adhere strictly to other precautionary health measures such as wearing of face masks, washing of hands, among others, in order to mitigate the spread of the virus.”