A disturbing number of fraudulent certificates were unearthed during the 2023 Direct Entry (DE) registration exercise, prompting the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to implement stricter verification protocols.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, revealed the alarming figure of 1,665 fake A’Level results detected during a meeting with the National Association of Nigeria Colleges of Education Students (NANCES) leadership. This widespread fraud highlights the need to safeguard the integrity of credentials used for securing admission, he stressed.
Broken trust, prompt action
JAMB’s trust in the previous system, where awarding institutions conducted their own screening for DE applicants, was shattered by shocking revelations from Bayero University, Kano. Only six out of 148 submitted certificates were deemed genuine, necessitating a critical stakeholders’ meeting to combat this menace.
Combating the threat: multi-pronged approach
The action plan includes establishing a dedicated A’Level result verification task force alongside a user-friendly, centralized platform for swift certificate verification, taking just five minutes per certificate.
To emphasize the seriousness of this initiative, JAMB has adopted a “No Verification, No Admission” policy. Fifteen institutions with a backlog of over 20 unverified candidates have been mandated to pre-verify their applicants’ certificates before DE registration is finalized.
Streamlined process with enhanced security
While the ongoing DE registration allows candidates to proceed initially, the 15 non-compliant institutions must pre-verify their applicants’ certificates for registration completion. This modified approach ensures a smoother process without compromising security.
NANCES seeks solutions
NANCES President, Eegunjobi Samuel, commended JAMB’s efforts to restore order and credibility to the admission process. However, he presented concerns from members regarding ongoing challenges in the 2024 DE registration and requested the establishment of additional registration centers.
JAMB’s decisive actions demonstrate their commitment to a transparent and secure admission process for Nigerian students.
