The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted claims that it has established cut-off scores for admissions to higher education institutions nationwide.

In an official statement posted on its X account on Thursday, the Board dismissed reports that it had set 140 as the cut-off score for universities and 100 for polytechnics, respectively.

“There’s no such thing as ‘cut-off mark’ in the admission process to tertiary institutions in Nigeria, what’s obtainable is minimum tolerable score determinable by individual institutions,” it said.

The rejection occurred a day after widespread reports that the Board had set 140 as the admission cut-off mark for universities, and 100 as the minimum cut-off mark for polytechnics and colleges of education.

The statement, reportedly made by JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, announced the decision in Abuja during the 2024 Policy meeting of the Board.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, vice-chancellors, rectors, and registrars of higher institutions, as well as other relevant stakeholders.

Minimum Entry Age

During the meeting, the minister issued a directive stating that admission to tertiary institutions should be restricted to candidates who have attained the age of 18.

 

While this announcement generated diverse responses from the vice-chancellors, rectors, and registrars present, the minister expressed concern regarding the actions of certain parents who are pressuring their underage children to gain admission into tertiary institutions.

Mamman stated that the 18-year threshold aligns with the 6-3-3-4 educational framework.

 “JAMB is hereby instructed from admission this year to admit only eligible students. That is those who have attained 18 years by our laws,” the minister.

He maintained that his stance was supported by the laws of Nigeria that govern admissions into higher education institutions. He emphasized that admission committees should not need a statement from him to consider this.

“Our laws require students to be in school from six years – Yes, there are those who do that from five –  and remain in primary school for six years, basic education for three years, and secondary school for three years… It doesn’t require a statement of the minister… we are only restating what is in the law,” he added.

Professor Mamman further stated that for those who may not be able to secure admission into tertiary institutions, the Ministry of Education is introducing skills acquisition programs for pupils from primary school level.