NANS Condemns JAMB’s Chaotic Direct Entry Registration Process, Demands Deadline Extension, and Threatens Office Occupation

NANS Condemns JAMB’s Chaotic Direct Entry Registration Process, Demands Deadline Extension, and Threatens Office Occupation

NANS Criticizes JAMB’s Inadequate Direct Entry Registration Procedures

…Calls for Deadline Extension, Plans to Occupy JAMB Offices on Monday

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has come under fire from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for its disorganized and chaotic handling of the 2023 Direct Entry registration process.

In a statement titled “NANS Condemns Unfair JAMB Policy,” signed by Vice-President of External Affairs, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, the umbrella organization representing students across Nigeria expressed its dissatisfaction with JAMB’s treatment of candidates, who crowded the Ikoyi Lagos headquarters office.

NANS had previously appealed to JAMB in April, urging them to decentralize the Direct Entry registration process to avoid long queues and prevent candidates from having to travel long distances to state capitals.

The association criticized JAMB for limiting registration to their offices located in state capitals, which they viewed as a mockery of the abundant ICT infrastructure available in the country, causing unnecessary delays.

During their visits to the JAMB office in Ikoyi, NANS’s monitoring team witnessed a disgraceful display of incompetence and disregard for candidates’ well-being. Prospective students were forced to sleep in the open, while others stayed awake all night to verify their results and complete registration.

The statement highlighted a personal visit made by Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez to the JAMB office in Lagos on May 13, 2023, to verify a report presented by an ad-hoc committee set up to address the complaints from students attempting to obtain the UTME Direct Entry forms.

According to the report, since May 8, 2023, students have been sleeping in JAMB offices nationwide as they strive to complete their registration after obtaining the Direct Entry (DE) ePINs.

“The number of students seeking assistance at any given time overwhelms the capacity of the limited outlets,” the statement read.

“JAMB has designated only one outlet to serve each state, regardless of the varying number of DE students in different states. Consequently, states like Lagos and Jigawa, despite having significantly different numbers of candidates, have been allocated only one outlet each.”

The urgency displayed by these students to register is primarily driven by the strict deadline for completion of their registrations. In their desperation, they have resorted to making JAMB offices their temporary homes.

As a result, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has demanded an extension of the Direct Entry registration deadline until further notice.

“Additional registration outlets must be provided to accommodate the large number of students rushing to use the insufficient outlets currently available. The unique circumstances of each state should be taken into consideration,” NANS stated.

Furthermore, NANS called for a public apology from JAMB Registrar, Prof. Olanrewaju Oloyede, for subjecting Nigerian students to unnecessary stress and urged him to adopt a more compassionate approach when implementing future policies.

The statement concluded by stating that if these resolutions are not promptly addressed, Nigerian students will occupy all JAMB offices across the country starting from 8 am on Monday, May 15, 2023, and will remain there until their concerns are taken seriously and their needs are met.