From Fred Itua, Abuja
THE Senate, yesterday, resolved to amend the Act establishing the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to extend the validity of its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to three years.
This followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, chaired by Senator Binta Garba. In 2015, Senate mandated the committee to investigate the new JAMB admission policy and the unification of all tertiary institution examinations in the country. Senate also directed the committee to include in its report, an amendment of the Act establishing JAMB so as to extend the validity period for the examination to three years.
During the consideration of the report, Senate however adopted the recommendation that the UTME examination should have a validity period of three years to reduce financial burden on parents.
Senate also resolved examination fees be reviewed downwards to N2, 500, while change of course and institutions as well as any other changes surrounding the examination be free. The Red Chamber however rejected a move to cut by 70 per cent, the examination cost for National Examination Council (NECO) and the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
Speaking earlier, Senator Marsi said that most universities have low capacity to accommodate the number of students who seek admission on a yearly basis. She, therefore, advocated the establishment of more institutions to accommodate growing student population.
