In its weekly bulletin released yesterday in Abuja, JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, highlighted the issue, emphasizing that institutions bear the primary responsibility for ensuring the legitimacy of documents used for admissions.
“One of the fundamental purposes of the screening process is to ensure that only legitimate documents are used to consider and accept candidates for admission and registration,” the bulletin stated.
NIPEDS: A Tool to Combat Fraud
JAMB introduced the Nigeria Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (NIPEDS) approximately two years ago to address the growing problem of fake certificates. The system was developed following a shocking report from Bayero University, Kano (BUK), which revealed that out of 148 A’Level results verified for admission, only six were genuine.
NIPEDS facilitates the verification of A’Level qualifications, including certificates from foreign institutions, which are required for Direct Entry admissions. Through this system, JAMB has identified numerous forged certificates, including recent cases where 13 additional A’Level certificates were confirmed as fake.
“Some institutions had already proposed candidates for admission based on these fraudulent documents,” the bulletin noted, adding that the affected candidates have been referred to law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
Institutions Warned Against Complicity
JAMB warned that institutions proposing candidates for admission using fake certificates would be viewed as accomplices in the fraudulent activity. The board urged all tertiary institutions to conduct thorough verification of A’Level qualifications, regardless of whether the certificates were issued by their own institution or others.
“While NIPEDS is a valuable tool, it does not replace the need for institutions to conduct their own verification and due diligence,” JAMB emphasized.
Notable Cases of Forgery
One of the most egregious cases involved candidates who submitted forged Interim Joint Matriculation Board Examination (IJMBE) results from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in an attempt to gain admission to the same institution. This highlights the audacity of some candidates and the need for stricter verification measures.
Call for Vigilance and Accountability
JAMB reiterated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the admission process and called on all institutions to prioritize the verification of A’Level qualifications. The board stressed that failure to do so not only compromises the quality of education but also exposes institutions to legal and reputational risks.
“Institutions must thoroughly verify all A’Level qualifications presented for admission,” JAMB stated, urging stakeholders to work together to eliminate fraudulent practices and uphold the credibility of Nigeria’s education system.