JAMB: House probes‘imposition’ of multiple fees on candidates

Authors:

Ima Elijah

March 24, 2022 12:12 PM

'JAMB remains an examination conducting body and not primarily a revenue-generating organ of the Federal Government.'

Members of the House of Representatives [NASS]

The House of Representatives is to investigate the alleged imposition of multiple processing and administration fees by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and its accredited agents on candidates.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Sergius Ogun (PDP-Edo) at the plenary on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Abuja.

When presenting his motion, Mr Ogun said section 88(1) and (2) of the constitution empowers the National Assembly to conduct investigations into the activities of any authority executing or administering laws.

He reminded the lawmakers that JAMB was established to control the conduct of matriculation examinations for candidates seeking admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria.

However, Mr Ogun noted that in recent times, all sorts of processing and administrative fees were imposed on JAMB examination candidates, adding that for every other service, apart from the JAMB registration provided in relation to the examination, an administrative fee is imposed by JAMB.

He listed some of the charges to include: Application for transfer N7,000, change of admission letter with registration number N5,000 and application for correction of data N2,500.

Other charges according to him include printing of JAMB Result Slip N1,000, printing of JAMB admission letter N1,000, change of Institution/Course N2,500, and retrieving of JAMB Registration Number N1,000.

He said that by virtue of its establishment, JAMB remains an examination conducting body and not primarily a revenue-generating organ of the Federal Government.

The House, therefore, mandated the Committee on Tertiary Education and Services to investigate multiple processing and administrative fees by JAMB.

The House asked the committee to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.