The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has said the body would begin the 2019/2020 examination process by October, promising that the procedure for the next examination would be better than the last one.

“We are on with the 2018/2019 admission exercise. We believe that by the end of October, we would then begin the 2019/2020 admission.”

I can assure you that we are adjusting and improving on our mistakes from last year. We are perfecting the processes and procedures, ensuring that no one is allowed to have undue advantage over the others.

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede also said that the 2019 general elections would not affect the board’s 2019/2020 examination. He made this remark while fielding questions from journalists shortly after delivering the 2018 Annual Sobo Sowemimo Lecture of the Abeokuta Club in Abeokuta.

“I don’t think there will be any need for a shift in the examination date because of the 2019 general elections”.

I believe INEC has done well by giving us a prior notice six months ago.

Oloyede condemned the rate at which candidates, who were not qualified to write the examination applied for it, thereby, causing what he described as “unnecessary luggage” on the board. He said that the examination body would adopt stiffer measures to check incidences of unqualified candidates from applying and writing the examination for the 2019/2020 admission exercise.

He said measures had been put in place to ensure that all applicants are minimally qualified. “It is difficult to say the exact number of applicants we are expecting this time. We expect to crash the number because many of those who are taking the forms are not even prepared or qualified for the exam.

“Some are SS1 students, who are just trying; contributing N5, 000 unduly to our purse.  “That’s where we are moving to, rather than creating unrealistic figures. We cannot say actually this is the figure but we are trying to ensure that we don’t have unnecessary luggage. “We are not interested in the money. We are interested in having adequate preparation for those who are genuine students,” he added.