Many Nigerians have taken to social media to decry news of the review of cut off point for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams.
JAMB had on Tuesday pegged the minimum cut-off mark for admissions into universities for the 2017/2018 academic year at 120.
The decision was taken together with vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts of higher institutions in the country at a combined policy meeting on admissions into universities, polytechnics and other higher institutions in Nigeria in Abuja.
The stakeholders also adopted 100 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into polytechnics.
Twitter and Facebook were awash with criticisms as many commentators questioned the low level of the marks.
Many argued that the answer to massive consistent failures in entrance examinations is not necessarily addressed with a reduction of the cut off mark, but to address the underlying issues of poor teaching standards, and learning conditions for students.
Others argued decreasing the cut-off point would only breed lazy students who have become more interested in social media and other spending their time online than studying.
However, the Registrar of JAMB Prof. Ishaq Oloyede said “what JAMB has done is to recommend; we will only determine the minimum, whatever you determine as your admission cut-off mark is your decision.
“The Senate and academic boards of universities should be allowed to determine their cut-off marks.”
Hence, universities still have the upper hand to decide what minimum is acceptable or not for entry into their schools.
Oloyede said the board discovered over 17,160 illegally admitted students by higher institutions, adding that the body had regularised some of them.
He said, “30 per cent of those in higher institutions do not take JAMB or have less than the cut-off marks.
“The admission process is now automated with direct involvement of the registrar of JAMB for final approval.
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