JAMB Fixes Cut-off Marks For Varsities At 160, Poly 120, COE 100

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and heads of institutions at the 2020 Policy Meeting on Admissions into Tertiary Institutions have fixed cut-off marks for the forthcoming admission exercise.


At the policy meeting held via virtual which was declared open by the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, urged heads of tertiary institutions to adhere to the admission guidelines.


After voting by vice chancellors, JAMB pegged 160 and above as the benchmark for admission for the 2020/2021 into public universities while 140 was approved for private universities. Pan African University says its Senate fixed 210 as cut-off marks.


For polytechnics, majority of rectors voted and JAMB approved 120 as cut-off marks for admission just 100 benchmark was approved for public colleges of education after the provosts had voted.


Despite the national cut-off marks, at the meeting the first generation universities and few state owned-state universities revealed that their Senate had approved cut-off marks of 200 which a candidate must score to write their PostUTME test or screening.


Also disclosed at the meeting, some public polytechnics had pegged their admission benchmarks at 150, thus a candidate who score below the approved cut-off marks by the Academic Board will not be allow to come for PostUTME screening.


It was agreed at the policy meeting that the 2020/2021admission exercise will start on August with the public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education kicking starting.


In his speech, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nwajiuba listed six conditions to be met if universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and schools will reopened.


According to him, the six conditions are the protection of pupils and students against Coronavirus, heads of schools to put measures in place to meet the conditions.


Others include the government demand for the schools to be decontaminated and classes to accommodate social and physical distancing.


The minister disclosed that government is planning to easing the Iockdown and allow the to reopening of schools and urged heads of institutions not to wait till the announcement on reopening before putting in place the necessary measures in compliance with the protocols and advisories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).


The 4,000 tertiary institutions will have to wait for some candidates yet to write the May/June 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) internal examination which is a major requirement for admission.

(Thesun)