Senate to extend JAMB exam validity to 3yrs

From Fred Itua, Abuja

THE Senate, yesterday, resolved to amend the Act es­tablishing the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to extend the validity of its Unified Tertiary Ma­triculation Examination (UTME) to three years.
This followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, chaired by Senator Binta Garba. In 2015, Senate man­dated the committee to investigate the new JAMB ad­mission policy and the unification of all tertiary institu­tion examinations in the country. Senate also directed the committee to include in its report, an amendment of the Act establishing JAMB so as to extend the validity pe­riod for the examination to three years.
During the consideration of the report, Senate how­ever adopted the recommendation that the UTME ex­amination should have a validity period of three years to reduce financial burden on parents.
Senate also resolved examination fees be reviewed downwards to N2, 500, while change of course and insti­tutions as well as any other changes surrounding the ex­amination be free. The Red Chamber however rejected a move to cut by 70 per cent, the examination cost for National Examination Council (NECO) and the West Af­rican Examination Council (WAEC).
Speaking earlier, Senator Marsi said that most uni­versities have low capacity to accommodate the number of students who seek admission on a yearly basis. She, therefore, advocated the establishment of more institu­tions to accommodate growing student population.