The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has reduced the registration fee for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) from N5,000 to N3,500. for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede made the disclosure on Monday at a pre-conference briefing for the upcoming Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunity Access to Higher Education, themed ?Advancing Equal Opportunity Access to Higher Education: A Call to Action,? expected to attract participants from Ethiopia, Malawi, and Egypt.

While noting that the slash in fee was aimed at advancing equal opportunity access to higher education for PWDs, the JAMB boss added that the board was engaged in various initiatives to promote inclusivity, including Specialised Testing Centres for PWDs, free application documents for those with five O? level credits, and additional support like transport and accommodation for visually impaired candidates.

He stressed the importance of providing assistive tools and training educators to be more aware of the diverse needs of students, stating, ?We aim to facilitate learning and testing for PWDs and employ inclusive teaching methodologies.?

?The Board has reduced the registration fee for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination from N5,000 to N3,500 to ensure equitable access to tertiary education.

?To support candidates with disabilities with 5 O? level credits in Senior Secondary Certificate, application documents are provided free of charge in addition to other fees (such as CBT centre fee).

?Furthermore, for visually impaired and other candidates with disabilities who require special examination settings, transport supplementation, free accommodation, and transit are provided during the examination process,? he said.

Also speaking, Chairman of JEOG, Prof Peter Okebukola, said Oloyede?s love for inclusivity was the reason for setting up the group after his assumption of office.

Earlier, Mr. Jake Epelle, CEO of the Albino Foundation, expressed gratitude, saying, ?We recognise those who champion inclusivity and advocate for persons with disabilities.

?Their efforts have given us a voice, and the disability community remains deeply grateful for their advocacy in education,? he said. (New Telegraph)

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