The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the exemption of foreign candidates, blind and deaf students, as well as prison inmates from the pre-admission screening tests conducted by Nigerian tertiary institutions.
This initiative is part of JAMB’s commitment to promoting inclusivity in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) registration process.
Gombe State JAMB Coordinator, Mr. Johnson Adebiyi, made the disclosure during an advocacy visit to the Nigerian Correctional Service in Gombe. The visit aimed to educate inmates about the UTME registration process, inform them of the available waivers, and familiarize them with JAMB’s facilities for a seamless examination experience.
“The Board and tertiary institutions have agreed that all foreign, blind, deaf, and incarcerated candidates will be exempted from pre-admission screening at their chosen institutions,” Adebiyi stated.
He emphasized JAMB’s dedication to ensuring equal educational opportunities for all students, particularly those with special needs. He added that this exemption serves as an affirmative action to accommodate disadvantaged candidates and provide them with the necessary support to thrive academically.
“As directed by the 2024 Policy Meeting on Admissions, tertiary institutions will admit special needs candidates who meet the minimum requirements and monitor their progress to assess the effectiveness of this policy,” he said.
Adebiyi further noted that each year before the admission exercise, JAMB would provide tertiary institutions with a list of special needs candidates to guide the admission process. He also assured that JAMB has put strict measures in place to curb fraudulent activities while continuing efforts to place qualified prison inmates in tertiary institutions, facilitating their reintegration into society.
In response, the Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Gombe, Mr. Victor Odafen, lauded JAMB for the initiative, stating,
“We appreciate this effort and will take all necessary steps to ensure that eligible inmates maximize this opportunity provided by JAMB and tertiary institutions.”
