The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has refuted claims that it has set specific cut-off marks for admissions into higher education institutions in Nigeria.
In a statement posted on its official X account on Thursday, the Board clarified that the idea of a uniform “cut-off mark” does not exist in the nation’s admission process, News About Nigeria reports.
“There’s no such thing as ‘cut-off mark’ in the admission process to tertiary institutions in Nigeria. What’s obtainable is a minimum tolerable score determinable by individual institutions,” JAMB stated.
This denial follows widespread reports that the Board had set 140 as the cut-off mark for universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education.
The erroneous information had attributed the cut-off announcements to JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, supposedly made during the 2024 Policy meeting in Abuja.
The meeting, attended by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, as well as vice-chancellors, rectors, registrars, and other stakeholders, also addressed the issue of minimum age requirements for university admissions.
The minister mandated that from this year, only candidates who are at least 18 years old should be admitted into tertiary institutions.
The directive is in line with Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 educational system, which stipulates that students should be in school from the age of six.
Minister Mamman said that the law already requires students to complete six years in primary school, three years in basic education, and three years in secondary school before progressing to tertiary education.
“JAMB is hereby instructed from admission this year to admit only eligible students, those who have attained 18 years by our laws,” Mamman said.
He noted that this requirement is supported by existing laws and does not need additional statements from the ministry to be enforced.
