The Federal Government has debunked widespread reports alleging that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been scrapped as a requirement for gaining admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The clarification came following viral social media claims suggesting that universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education would henceforth conduct their own entrance examinations without recourse to JAMB.
In a statement released on Thursday by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, dismissed the reports as “false and baseless,” stressing that no such directive emanated from the ministry.
“At no time did the Ministry issue or authorise any statement suggesting that JAMB is no longer mandatory for admission into tertiary institutions,” Alausa said.
He reaffirmed that JAMB remains the legally recognised body vested with the authority to conduct entrance examinations and coordinate admissions into all tertiary institutions nationwide.
“The established admission process through JAMB remains fully in force, and any information to the contrary should be disregarded in its entirety,” the minister stated.
Dr. Alausa also urged parents, prospective students, and tertiary institutions to rely solely on verified updates from official communication channels of the Ministry of Education and JAMB.
He noted that the ministry continues to work closely with JAMB and other relevant agencies to promote transparency, merit, and fairness in the admission process.
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“We remain committed to protecting the integrity of admissions into higher institutions and ensuring that due process and merit remain the guiding principles,” he said.
The minister further cautioned media organisations, bloggers, and online platforms against spreading unverified information capable of creating confusion within the education sector.
“Misinformation of this nature can mislead the public and undermine the credibility of our institutions. We urge everyone to verify facts before publishing,” he warned.
Alausa reiterated that there has been no alteration to JAMB’s statutory role, describing any contrary publication as “entirely false and misleading.”