Following the huge backlash that has trailed the recent reduction of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board’s (JAMB), a new report has revealed that the true culprits behind the reduction in marks are the Private Universities.
According to data released by the spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin to Media outlet THISDAY, the low enrollment of students into private universities caused the private universities to lower their cut off scores long before the Board sanctioned the reduction.
The data provided showed that of the 293 tertiary institutions in the country, only five universities – University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, University of Lagos (Unilag) and University of Benin (Uniben) – pegged their minimum cut-off marks at 200, while only the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, among the entire tertiary institutions set 190 (47.5 per cent) as its cut-off mark.
The data also showed that 27 other universities – private and public – pegged their minimum cut-off marks at 180; 22 private universities fixed their minimum entry marks at 120, while one has 110 as its cut-off mark.
Private universities such as Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State; Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State; Caled University, Enugu; Caritas University, Enugu; Fountain University, Oshogbo; Novena University, Delta State; Renaissance University, Enugu; South-western University, Ogun State, Samuel Adegboyega University; Wellspring University, Edo State; Summit University, Kwara; Edwin Clark University, Delta State; Kings University, Osun State; Arthur Jarvis University, Cross River State; Clifford University, Abia State; and Coal City University, Enugu already had 120 as their cut-off mark.
The reason for this according to Benjamin was to increase enrollment into their schools; “Most students prefer to apply to public universities and that is why they have issues with enrollment.
“One hundred and twenty is not the minimum cut-off mark across board. But it is the one determined by certain universities. A lot of the institutions that took 120 as their cut-off mark are private universities,” he said.
According to THISDAY, a source disclosed that beyond increased enrollment, the Private universities were also in the pursuit of profit;
“As it stands, very few students seek admission into these private universities because of the low quality of the teaching faculties, lack of infrastructure and amenities, and poor research track records.
“So they are lowering standards to attract more students, and of course the overriding reason is the profit motive,” the source said.