Following the introduction of a new cut off mark by the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board JAMB, the Chairman of ASUU at the University of Ibadan, Dr. Deji Omole has spoken against it stating that the Government is looking to destroy education in Nigeria.
You will recall that JAMB reduced the minimum cut off marks for admissions into universities in Nigeria to 120, polytechnics and colleges of education pegged at 100, while that of innovative enterprising institutes was pegged at 110.
Speaking on why this is a horrible move, Omole said; “Rather than sanctioning the identified universities that admitted over 17,000 students illegally, the JAMB registrar simply regularised illegality and lowered cut-off marks to favour the interests of the friends of government who own private universities and are hell bent on destroying public education.”
Omole stated that JAMB needs to be scrapped altogether as it was no longer useful and is rather a detriment to education in Nigeria; “Where are the students that the JAMB registrar said entered universities illegally? Which universities admitted them? If 30 per cent did not take JAMB and found their way into the university system, is that not corruption and a message that JAMB is not significant anymore? What sanction did those who did the illegal thing receive other than regularisation of illegality.
“We are watching because long before now we have said that JAMB has outlived its usefulness. Let the universities set their unique standards and those who are qualified can come in. Scoring 120 out of 400 marks is 30 per cent. Even in those days, 40 per cent was graded as pass. But now JAMB said with F9 which is scoring 30 per cent you can be admitted.
“They deliberately want to destroy education. Even for polytechnic, 100 marks is 25 per cent. It is sad. And that is where we are in Nigeria. They want to destroy public education at all costs. This is not setting standard for education in Nigeria. It is purely lowering standards and digging grave for the future. This is why ASUU is currently on the struggle to influence the government to do the needful for education in Nigeria.”