JAMB registrar asks parents, candidates to protest ‘admission bias’ if confident in UTME scores
Ishaq Oloyede, registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has urged parents and candidates to speak up against perceived admission bias if they are confident in their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.
In an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on Tuesday, Oloyede encouraged candidates who meet admission requirements but were not offered placement in their preferred institutions to lodge formal complaints.
“If you are certain of your score and believe you deserve admission but were not admitted, you should protest to us. CAPS has made the process easier and more transparent,” he said.
He explained that the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) was introduced to ensure fairness and accountability in the admission process.
Oloyede also criticised the growing acceptance of illegal practices among some parents and candidates, noting that many believe such methods are the only way to secure admission.
“I’ve seen cases where people sent me their children’s scores and asked what they could do. I told them I would do nothing, yet the candidates were eventually admitted—and they came back to thank me,” he said.
The registrar reaffirmed that CAPS has remained reliable since its introduction in 2017, adding that the system can effectively manage admissions without interference or errors.
Speaking on direct entry admissions, Oloyede said JAMB has strengthened its verification processes, making it increasingly difficult to falsify credentials.
“Since 2023, the number of fraudulent applications has declined significantly. Many candidates are discouraged because they know we now carry out thorough checks,” he said.
He added that 77 cases of attempted fraud have already been detected this year, alongside improved preventive measures.
“Programmes such as JUPEB and IJMB are now closely monitored at the point of entry. We have made it nearly impossible to forge results,” Oloyede stated.