By Gabriel Dike
Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, on Thursday pleaded with the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the education sector.
Prof. Oloyede, who spoke as guest speaker at the Annual Lecture of Faculty of Arts, Lagos State University (LASU), also appeal to the Federal Government to increase the budgetary allocation to the education sector.
He said: “Declare and prosecuting a state of emergency in education with a view to addressing all the challenges facing the sector comprehensively.”
Oloyede, who spoke on “Normalizing the Abnormal: JAMB Operations during COVID-19 Era”, appealed to government to increase the budgetary allocation to education to that level that it would be comparable with, at least, African countries with low GDP than ours but have nonetheless given education the priority it deserves.
The JAMB boss tasked government to improve learning resources and infrastructures in schools preparatory for another pandemic which, it is hoped would not be here soon.
Oloyede called for strong and swift disciplinary measures for staff and students caught in the abyss of exam malpractice as has become the practice in JAMB operations in the last five years.
He also called for the establishment of a process for the lodgment of complaints against sexual and other misdemeanors in the education industry without exception.
According to him, stakeholders in the education sector should strive towards establishing a pedigree of integrity by sticking to honesty, probity and transparency in exam processes as well as results computation.
The registrar urged academic staff of universities not to collect gifts from parents because it may come back to haunt them in future when such parents come back to make demand that would constitute infraction of the law.
In her speech, Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, acknowledged the crucial role JAMB plays in higher education.
The LASU VC said Oloyede has raised the standard and quality of the service of the board.
Prof. Olatunji-Bello said the registrar during the COVID-19 pandemic had ensured that the academic calendar is stable and also manage the admission process for tertiary institutions.
Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights, Mr. Victor Akande, said the performance of Prof. Oloyede, in his first term had shown that Nigeria still has men of integrity.
Akande said the emergence of Prof. Olatunji-Bello is a plus for LASU and added that she will take the university to greater heights.