Salihu Adam Jiddah, the founder, Kogi Liberation Movement and lecturer at the Federal University Kashere was a guest at Amana Radio, FM 98.1 Gombe where he shed light on admissions into tertiary institutions.
We have been hearing JAMB, UTME, Post-UTME and these things sometimes are confusing especially to parents who want to see their wards in school can you brief us on this?
Yes, thank you and good evening listeners. JAMB is Joint Admission Matriculation Board, a body saddled with the responsibility to stand as a surety for candidates between his secondary school (SSCE) WAEC, NECO, National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) etc and the tertiary institution whether or not, the candidate is qualified to undergo the program so desired in such institution.
UTME, the JAMB examination that we used to know is still the same what has changed is that, hitherto it was done separately e.g we had University Matriculation Examination (UME) for Universities and MPCE (Monotechnics, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education) also know as Poly JAMB for Polytechnics and others.
It was costly, especially for candidate who wish to try both exams to stand more chance of securing admission; and also to the body itself (JAMB) in terms of logistics, expenses, manpower requirements etc. So the need to unify the entering examination was eminent.
Therefore, UTME unifies both the examinations (i.e UME and MPCE examination for candidates and gave them opportunities for admission in to Universities, Polytechnics/ Monotechnics, Colleges of Education at the same time by providing multiple choices.
The idea of Post-UTME was for these institutions to verify what JAMB or the candidate has declare before being admitted unlike before when candidates are given admission directly from this body and later to be discovered not qualified to study that course or so on; so there was a disconnect.
As a lecturer, do you consider Post-UTME to be important?
Yes. In fact, I consider post UTME more important because even today we still have candidates who scored needed points and yet not qualified for admission. So left to Jamb, the candidate may secure admission against NUC guidelines.
Why?
You see, gone are the days when you score 250, 300 etc and you are given automatic admission, you are given prizes and celebrated nationwide, what the University considers most today, is the issue of relevance and not point.
So you mean those who score low-marks may secure admission ahead of candidates that scored high marks?
Yes and No. Yes, because of the following reasons
- SSCE 5 relevant credits
- Jamb subject combination etc
If you score 300 and your SSCE or UTME combination are not relevant, the person who scores 180 stand a better chance if his are relevant.
No, because where all candidate scored high or low marks and their Jamb subject combination are relevant then the candidate who score higher mark stands a better chance but with other conditionality.
What are the conditions again even when I have met the two things you have mentioned
You know there is quota system in our admission just like we have what we called federal character in civil service. We admit based on the following
- Merit (45%)
- Catchment Area (35%)
- Educationally less developed states (20%). Making the total of a 100% but sometimes; Universities intention for spread: i.e getting good student from different state across the nation and even international students as the case may be may reduce slightly any of the above percentages. This is because the Universities for example is a city of the universe and for it to validate it name, there is need for different people, tribes culture, religion and other diversities to fuse together in one environment. This way learning is no longer restricted to studying books but knowing, accepting, honouring others’ cultures, tribes, religion etc
In simple terms, it is not yet uhuru because you have scored higher mark in Jamb or nine credits in SSCE to think of being admitted.
Mr Jiddah, how do I know my SSCE credits are relevant or not?
It is very simple. Before sitting for JAMB or WAEC/NECO, as the case may be, there is need for candidate enlightenment right from secondary school on what to select in SSCE examination so also UTME courses must be selected in relation to the course you wish to study.
You can have this information on Universities platform, Jamb platform, google etc.
Note, recently on the 26th of June 2018, JAMB held policy meeting in Osun state; in the meeting the registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede gave a powerful presentation on issues that all stakeholders need to be aware of especially the candidates.
Worthy of note to candidates is the interactive platform developed for candidates to check eligibility status download E-brochure, syllabus, processes, study materials, CBT exams guide, notification etc.
Can we know the platform?
Yes, it is www.ibass.jamb.gov.ng
Can you give us example of issue of eligibility your dept for instance
Yes; In Accounting and Business administration, candidate are required to
- Present at least 5 relevant O’level e.g Mathematics, English, “Economics”, Accounting (for Accounting) commerce for business admin and any of Government or Geography as the case may be.
Now because Accounting and business are all in the management school, where candidates made other requirement but do not have Accounting/book keeping or commerce to apply for Accounting or business respectively commerce can qualify the candidate for admission in Accounting and Accounting/bookkeeping can qualify a candidate for admission in business.
Candidates must have sat for UTME and selected relevant subject as specify above e.g Mathematics, English Economics and of commerce or Accounting, Government and Geography.
Candidate must have selected Federal University of Kashere as 1st choice scored not less than the minimum cut off marks (170 for 2018)
Candidate must register and present his/her self for the Post-UTME screening/examination as the case may be
Candidate must provide a scratch card preferably unscratched to enable us verify the result he claimed to have presented to us through the help of our ICT unit
Another important thing that is silent in the Post-UTME is physical evidence. Since we have laws guiding our country and FUK is bound to comply: we may not accept the following candidate:
- A lunatic
- A naked person who choose not to wear clothe to our school.
- If a candidate declared his self a male, and we see him with weaves, ear rings, or skirt; we may not accept him etc
- We have obligation to check students and confirm that those who declared themselves to be from a particular state for any fear or favour to have relevant document attesting to that, and so many salient issues that may necessarily not be mentioned.
Are all issue raised here the same with Direct Entering Students
Not all. For a D.E candidates, the following conditions apply;
- Must have properly registered with jamb and has uploaded all relevant documents
- Must have 5 relevant O’level credits
- Must have a ‘National Diploma’ (ND), OND is not acceptable or must have at-least 9 points in IJMB or NCE as the case may be.
Finally your advice to prospective students sir
I want them to know that road to success is rough. They have to commit a lot of energy and make sacrifices to learn and get guidance all the time before registering from examination
APPRECIATION!
I wish to appreciate immensely:
- The Vice chancellor, Federal University Kashere, Prof. Alhassan Mohammed Gani
- N.E Attah, Dean Faculty of Humanity, Management and Social Sciences.
- Hassan Usman Shehu, Head, Department of Accounting and Business Administration
- Aminu Ayuba, University of Maiduguri
- Muhammad Akaro Mainoma, Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University Keffi
- Suleiman Aruwa Dean, PG School, Nasarawa State University Keffi
- Stephen Dugguh, Director Entrepreneurship, Federal University Kashere
- Sirajudeen Adam, Immediate past Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Magt and Social Sciences as well as the Head, Dept. of Languages and Linguistics, Federal University Kashere.
- Dr Mohammed Musa Kirfi, Immediate past, HoD, Accounting and Business as well as Director Consultancy Unit, Federal University Kashere
- Dr Umar Mohammed, HoD, Economics, Federal University Kashere
- Dr Ibrahim Audu, Examinations Officer, Dept of Accounting and Business, Federal University Kashere
- Dr Ahmed Abubakar, Chairperson, ASUU Federal University Kashere
- Dr Magaji Abubakar, Dr Ibrahim Audu, Dr Ibrahim Saleh, Dr Gbegi, Dr A.A Pantamee, Dr Muktar Baba, Dr Hammawa, Dr Alfred Sani.
- My Friends Mr Lawal I Toro, Mr Salihu M.B Rayyan, MR Abubakar Abubakar, Mr Umar Bello, Mr Aliyu Abubakar, Mr Muhammed Bayero, Mr Yila Bula, Mr Usman Mohammed and other colleagues in the department.
Thank you very much.
