JAMB takes action against harassment of hijab-wearing UTME candidate
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has taken swift action against officials involved in the harassment of a female candidate wearing a hijab during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Lagos.
The incident, which occurred at the Bafuto Institute in Ejigbo, saw the candidate being asked to remove her head cover during the accreditation process.
In a statement by the Head of Public Affairs of the Board, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, JAMB expressed deep regret over the incident and clarified that it was not in line with its examination guidelines.
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Upon investigation, it was found that the incident was due to the misplaced priorities of some accredited partners or officials who claimed ignorance of the guidelines on accreditation.
While the candidate was eventually allowed to proceed with her hijab after intervention by a senior official, the officials involved have been appropriately sanctioned.
JAMB emphasized that ignorance of the law is not an excuse and that such actions will not be tolerated in the future.
Furthermore, JAMB reiterated its commitment to ensuring that candidates are treated fairly and that their religious rights are respected during examinations.
The Board assured the public that the issue will be thoroughly investigated to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Despite the technical glitches reported during the ongoing UTME, JAMB remains dedicated to its mission of selecting qualified candidates for admission into tertiary institutions across the country.
