Lawmakers To Probe JAMB 120 Cut-off Mark

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Tertiary Education and Services to probe the reduction of cut-off mark for admitting candidates into tertiary institutions.

This followed a motion by Rep. Hassan Saleh (Benue-APC).

The committee is expected to report back findings within four weeks.

It was directed to determine whether the cut-off mark reduction would lower the standard of education in the country.

Moving the motion, Saleh expressed concern that the new policy was bound to lower the standard and quality of education in higher institutions.

According to him, many candidates who perform poorly in Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UMTE) can secure admission through nepotism, bribery and corruption while many other candidates who perform excellently can be denied admission.

Saleh said in spite of the fact that more than 500,000 candidates scored above 200 marks, representing 50 percent of the total mark, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) reduced cut-off mark to 120.

He said that the cut-off mark represented only 30 percent of the total examination mark of 400, adding that 100 marks fixed for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education was 25 percent of the total mark.

Supporting the motion, Rep. Afe Oluwookere (Ondo-APC) described the new policy as ”highly detrimental’’ to the country’s push for economic growth and development.

Rep. Abubakar Chika (Niger-APC), a former lecturer at the Polytechnic, said it was highly disappointing that JAMB could succumb to pressure from private institutions, which he alleged had long pushed for cut-off marks to be lowered.

”Let me even open up, this decision was taken because of private universities. They usually need to admit the children of the rich, who are not ready to work hard,” he said.