UTME Registration: JAMB cancels special privileges for albinos, explains decision

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has cancelled special registration and other concessions previously granted for people with albinism.

The board explained that it took the decision because some were using them to perpetrate malpractice.

The announcement was part of the decisions arrived at when the management of the Board, led by the Registrar, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, met with the Commissioners for Education in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in Ikeja, Lagos on Saturday.

It comes ahead of registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

JAMB also urged faith-based institutions to disclose their status from the outset, instead of pretending to be secular to attract applicants and later imposing religious rules, which it said, is a form of deception.

Oloyede, who said the meeting was to review and assess the previous exercise, said despite the numerous steps taken by the examination body, some unscrupulous persons were bent on circumventing the process.

“We have stopped some concessions we gave albino candidates. This is because some are using Artificial Intelligence to manipulate the registration process to look like they are albinos because of the consideration we gave them. Last year alone, over 7,000 claimed to be albinos. We have stopped special registration procedures for albinos.”

On complaints from admitted candidates in some private institutions regarding religious instruction and rules, Oloyede urged the schools to declare their status.
His word:

“Faith-based institutions should declare from the onset what they are, so that whoever applies there will know what he is going to meet there, but some don’t do that. They will pretend to be secular, but once students are admitted, trouble will begin over religious instruction and injunctions. If you are a faith-based institution, say so. The law allows you to set up faith-based schools.”

Following last year’s revelation that the candidate with the highest score was already a 300-level student at a university, the JAMB boss noted that the investigation showed that some undergraduates write the exam to eventually start another course, while others do so to help others secure admission.

“Students who are already in school but want to change courses and are applying again must declare and disclose their status. We have found that some candidates already in school are writing the examination for other candidates. Last year, the candidate who scored the highest, out of curiosity, we did a background check on him and found out that he was a 300-level student in the university. Henceforth, any candidate who is found engaging in such an act, and who failed to disclose that he is already in school but wants to change course, will be disqualified and also lose his current admission,” he added.

Regarding admission criteria, he explained that for federal government-owned institutions, it is 45 per cent merit, 20 per cent catchment area, 20 per cent educationally disadvantaged states and the rest for others.

“Each owner or state has the right to decide what its admission criteria will be. But for states, we encourage them to allocate at least 10 per cent to merit, regardless of where the candidates come from. This is to diversify the student population and to admit egg heads from different communities.”

Oloyede took a swipe at some states setting up new universities when they have not filled their quotas in federal institutions.
On the issue of underage candidates, he explained, “There is attestation to be signed for underage candidates. Last year, we had about 42,000 claiming to be underage. After evaluation and assessment of their claims, only 78 met the criteria and were admitted to universities. We are not saying there are no talented candidates, but the figure here looks outlandish.

“For now, 16 years is the admission age, and if anybody is not up to that age, he has to meet the requirement of scoring 80 per cent in the UTME and the post-UTME screening. Some people are saying there should be something that can be done to fill the gap year before they are old enough to be admitted at 16 years. Going by the country’s education policy, and if people stick to the rules, most students should be close to 16 before the admission year.”

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