The National Publicity Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Abdullahi Yelwa, has asked the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to stop “extorting” Nigerians who are seeking admission into higher institutions.

Yelwa said this when he presented a paper as guest speaker at the Bauchi South Stakeholders Interactive Session organized by the Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, Shehu Buba Umar, at the weekend.

Yelwa said JAMB which is supposed to be a service oriented government institution has turned to a revenue generating organ causing untold hardship on Nigerians because of the extortion.

“What JAMB is doing now is extorting Nigerians and causing unnecessary hardship on Nigerians and also locking opportunities instead of widening and increasing opportunities for enrollment in tertiary institutions,” Yelwa said.

“The acclaimed four choices in JAMB or UMTE is just a mirage because in reality and practice, there’s only one choice of institution. No matter what your score is, if you cannot get admission in the current session, your score is useless, you’ll have to do it again.

“They are focusing on revenue generation and this issue of changing institutions constantly because any institution that is not your first choice, cannot give you admission. So, there’s no need for second, third or fourth choices if you can’t get admission there.

“You must go back to JAMB and you must pay and change the institution. So, JAMB should stop deceiving Nigerians, they should stop wasting resources of Nigerians and we should respect these choices. If you can’t get admission in the first choice, the others should offer you admission so that our children will not be subjected to untold hardship.”

Yelwa advised Senator Uamr to use his position to ensure that the situation is stopped, adding that JAMB should extend the validity of its results beyond one year so that applicants who are not offered admission that year can use the same results to seek admission in the next academic session “so that financial stress can be removed from Nigerians.”

Responding, the convener of meeting said one of the reasons he organized the interactive season was as a result of the deteriorating state of education, right from primary to tertiary institution.

“It is for this reason that the programme has as its theme: Attaining a brighter future for Bauchi South Senatorial District through the 10^th Assembly: A legislative Agenda for the Senator”.

“This means that we are here today to interact with one another, for me to feel the pulse of my people, share their problems, discuss their concerns and in a united and purposeful way, chart the path to progress, prosperity and transformation in Bauchi South District,” Umar added. (Daily Trust)

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