The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has recently addressed the concerns raised by the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) regarding the exclusion of Higher National Diploma (HND) students from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. JAMB’s Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, emphasized that JAMB is not responsible for the mobilization of HND students for NYSC and advised that grievances should be directed to the relevant authorities.
The clarification comes in response to complaints that JAMB was behind the non-mobilization of some HND students for the mandatory one-year service. During a meeting with NAPS leaders at JAMB’s headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, Oloyede highlighted that JAMB’s role is limited to conducting examinations for admission into universities, national diploma (ND), and Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) programs. The Board does not oversee HND admissions or their subsequent mobilization for NYSC.
Oloyede expressed surprise that JAMB was being targeted for this issue, describing it as a misunderstanding of the Board’s mandate. He stated, “You are wasting your time talking to someone who has no involvement in the matter. If something affects you, the first step is to identify the root cause so that you don’t apply the wrong solution to a problem that does not exist.”
He clarified that once students complete their ND programs and seek admission into HND programs, JAMB’s role ends. HND admissions are handled directly by individual institutions. Oloyede also commented on the concerns about part-time polytechnic programs, stating that his criticism was aimed at schemes exploiting students.
Furthermore, Oloyede pointed out issues with some institutions admitting more students than their capacities, which complicates the correlation between ND and HND qualifications. He advised NAPS to thoroughly investigate the problems and find appropriate solutions.
Addressing allegations of extortion by JAMB officials in the South-South zone, Oloyede revealed that an anonymous petition had prompted an investigation. He encouraged students with evidence of extortion to come forward, assuring that any staff found guilty would face legal consequences. Oloyede noted that while most JAMB staff are honest, the Board is committed to identifying and addressing any misconduct.
To mitigate potential issues of exploitation, JAMB is considering reducing physical interactions with candidates and focusing more on online communications with recorded calls for better monitoring.
