During the 2023 Direct Entry (DE) registration exercise, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) revealed that it uncovered 1,665 fake A’level results, signaling a concerning trend of corruption within the admission process. The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, disclosed these findings during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Colleges of Education Students (NANCES).
Out of the identified fake A’level results, 397 were from Colleges of Education, 453 were from university diploma holders, and the remainder comprised other A’level certificates. This revelation underscores the urgent need to safeguard the integrity of A’level certificates used for admission purposes.
Prof. Oloyede expressed dismay over the extent of fraud discovered, particularly highlighting a case at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), where out of 148 Direct Entry applications, only six certificates were found to be genuine. This alarming discovery prompted JAMB to convene a meeting with key stakeholders to address the issue.
As part of the measures to combat fraudulent practices, JAMB introduced an A’level result verification task force and established a common platform for the verification of A’Level results and certificates. This platform, designed to be reliable and user-friendly, enables swift verification, taking only five minutes per certificate.
To underscore the seriousness of the verification process, JAMB implemented a “no verification, no admission” policy, requiring institutions to verify candidates’ certificates before admission. Institutions failing to comply adequately face additional scrutiny, with candidates requiring pre-verification before completing their DE registration.
In response to concerns raised by the NANCES about challenges in the ongoing 2024 DE registration process, Prof. Oloyede assured them of JAMB’s commitment to maintaining integrity and credibility in examination and admission processes. Additionally, efforts are underway to address logistical issues such as the availability of DE registration centers.
Overall, these stringent verification measures aim to restore trust in the admission process, ensuring that only genuine qualifications are considered for entry into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
