The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb) is a Nigerian entrance examination board for tertiary level institution. It was established in 1978 for the conduct of entrance examinations for prospective undergraduate into Nigerian universities both private and public not excluding polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education.

Despite the jubilation that greeted the passage of bill to extend its validity to 3 years by the Nigerian senate, the validity of this examination still remains a year.


Jamb and other institutions in Nigeria has not been immune to malfeasance, which as from time to time diminish the integrity of this examination board. Though over the years, due to the desire of Nigerians to get a quality education, which I doubt existed in Nigeria. The number of candidates have increased steadily

In 2011/2012 about 1,503,931 candidates obtained the form, till 2014, the number of candidates never exited 1.6 million except 2015 where it reduces to 1.4milion candidates, but rose to 1.7 million candidates previous years till the last one.

Efforts to standardize jamb-failure and examination process
In the last decades, there is not a year without a “damaging news” on the integrity of jamb, (Jamb-failure) ranging from fake registration centers, to special centers, illegal CBT centers. April 2017, the Nigeria Security and civil defence corps(NSCDC) uncovered a fake joint Admission matriculation board center in Maiduguri, at kawu shopping complex.

The men of the command also arrested one Abizo Precious from Imo state who had collected #1,200 each to register 180 students. Also in Lagos the coordinate of the Lagos office of the board, Sunday Aladegbaye was vociferous in his speech after the arrest of two suspect operating illegal computer based test.

Sunday said ” Jamb will fish out anyone thwarting its efforts to standardize examination and admission process in the country””. To jamb and her officials, those thwarting its efforts to standardize examination are people operating illegal centers, candidates malpractices etc. Can an examination be standardized without a standardized examination board?.

The role of the Federal Government
Despite the billions which the federal government makes provisions for the board, through the ministry of education yearly budget, the board still generate revenue through the sales of registration forms. With the remittance of money into the coffers of the federal government, it could be observed that Jamb has been short-changing Nigerians and making it hard for Nigerians who hardly make ends meet to buy the form and give the less privileged access to education.

From “April 10” 2012 to August 2016, after all her expenditures jamb remitted #50,752,544 to the federal government coffers. Prof isaq Oloyede had within two years remitted #8,000,000,000 (eight billion) into the government purse.

Since there is a consistent leftover over the years, it will be kind of Jamb to cut its registration form fee and make tertiary education accessible to all. Its core goal is not the generation of fund but by virtue of jamb act of 1978, the board sole goal is the general control over the conduct of matriculation examinations into universities , polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education.

While chapter 183 of the JAMB’s Act states the source of fund for its running cost “The board shall set up and support a fund which shall consist of such sync as may be provided by the federal government for the running expenses of the board; and as such other sums may be collected or received by the board from other sources either in the execution of its role or in respect of any property…”

Jamb can come out with a reasonable amount needed and charge potential candidates instead of excessive charges and generating fund for the government, leaving its main goal. This would make the less privileged have access to tertiary education.

Damaging news on the integrity of jamb
Just recently, Nigerians were embarrassed by the news of a snake swallowing the revenues from one of the jamb office in makurdi, Benue state. Despite the amusement the news attracted, it is a slap on the institution that claimed to saddled with conducting a standardize examination.

In 21st century like this, Jamb should know better, that money should be handled electronically and not Hand to hand, such news from its agencies will only put the integrity of the board stained.

There is an urgent need for jamb to be organized and purge itself of negligence. Just few days after jambites has expected results, there was news making it rounds that the results were out and people showed evidence by printing ,

before we could say jack Robinson, Jamb through is Spokesman Dr. Fabian Benjamin says” candidates should disregard the UTME results making the round, he said the results were fake, advising candidates to wait patiently for the original results to be released “”.

One begin to wonder how a result printed from the jamb portal be considered fake? Could it have been a sabotage or was the Jamb system so porous to be hacked.?.

Lamentations and backlash from candidates
According to a report by DAILYPOST ” it was alleged that candidates who had earlier checked their result after the released of the original results were asked to wait for emerged, has also been removed.”

One of the candidates, Max Odinukwize lamented on the issue of Jamb-failure said ” I had my UTME on the 10th of March and three days after my examination, I checked and saw my result using my phone , a day later, I went back to check and print it out, I was surprised when I saw the response ” No result yet and since that time till now, I haven’t seen my result”.

This type of news will only make the examination board a laughingstock in the committee of nations and rate the examination and its product low out there.

There should be a severe punishment for any person or office causing these messes in result, and if the systems are bad, it should be replaced with the money made, instead of turning itself to a money-making machine without care for the machine.

Conclusion on JAMB-failure
This is a call for Jamb to put its house in order and be more diligent , until we have a board with a reputable integrity, void of errors, jamb might find it difficult to conduct a standardized examination that will be generally acceptable.


http://schoolruns.com.ng/jamb-failure/