From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Joint Admissions and Matriculation (JAMB) said on Thursday, that it has remitted N2billion as its interim surplus for the 2023 operating year to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), with a promise that more funds would be remitted as its operations for the years are completed.
JAMB spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in a statement, said that N55 billion has been remitted to the Federal Government which is obviously far above the less than the N60million remitted by the Board in the 38 years of existence prior to the appointment of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, in August, 2016.
He attributed the feat to effective and prudent management of funds and other resources of the Board, which, he said, resulted in improved staff welfare and good working conditions.
He added: “These returns were bolstered by the Board’s expanded internal capacities for its operations achieved through direct execution of its processes and procedures, which resulted in, for instance, a savings of N1.2billion being paid annually to a service provider and a downward review of the N1.2billion being paid annually to another, to about N400million with the same old service provider, in addition to the recovery of over N1.2billion in both cash and estates in choice areas of Abuja, in 2016.
“It was these steps and many others, which had ensured that a Board, which had remitted cumulatively in its 40 years of existence about N55 million to the national treasury, rendered N7.8billion in the first year of the assumption of office of Prof. Oloyede and has since contributed over N27billion directly into the national treasury.
“The remitted amount was without prejudice to the 30 per cent reduction in its application fee (N10.8billion in 4 years since the reduction), Capital Fund (N11billion including N6billion, which is yet to be committed), Annual Awards/Grants to Tertiary Institutions for Capital Projects (N1billion) and Special Staff Welfare Scheme (N2billion). This would aggregate the cumulative surplus to about N54billion over the last six years.”
Meanwhile, JAMB maintained that it’s committed to repositioning the conduct of public examinations in Nigeria, stating that, henceforth, all Direct Entry candidates would be required to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) alongside other candidates for them to justify the possession of their A’level certificates.
JAMB said the policy was aimed at enhancing the growth of Nigeria’s education sector as it will promote transparency, accountability and good governance, and also underscore the Board’s commitment and determination towards changing the negative narrative of A’level admissions into higher institutions in Nigeria.