JAMB says 2018 UTME cut-off mark is not lowered to favour any state

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The Board at its 2018 stakeholders meeting recently held at Gbogan in Osun State pegged the cut-off mark for the 2018 UTME for universities at 140, while polytechnics and Colleges of education were pegged at 120 and 100 respectivey.

Criticisms have therefore followed the cut-off mark policy as many people accuse JAMB of favouring northern states, but the examination body says the policy is more favourable to candidates and institutions in the southern part of the country.

JAMB reacts to the allegation

Reacting to the allegation, JAMB Public Relations Officer, Fabian Benjamin in an interview with the Guardian says, “It is not true that the policy was introduced to favour the educationally less disadvantage states. For instance, the cut-off mark for medicine in Obafemi Awolowo University is 200, but that Bayero University, Kano is 250. The policy favours the universities in the southern part of the country and the statistics are there for everyone to check.”

Contrary to many people's opinion, Benjamin says the reduction of the cut-off marks is not an indication of failure in Nigeria’s education sector.

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“It will be wrong for anybody to say that the cut-off point for an examination that is conducted for candidates determines the standard of education. Contrary to the complaints of some stakeholders, JAMB does not compel higher institutions to admit candidates with the seemingly ridiculous cut-off mark.

“It was only agreed by stakeholders to provide institutions with a benchmark, universities could raise the marks above 140 but not more than 200,” he said.

In 2017, JAMB pegged the cut-off mark for universities at 180. Some universities rejected the move as they as they conducted post UTME test for only candidates who scored 200 and above in their UTME.