There are reports that the Federal Government is scrapping the National Examinations Council, NECO, and the National Poverty Eradication Programme, NAPEP. Also on the list of adjustments is FG divesting the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board of powers to conduct examinations into tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

This development is coming from a recommendations from  Steve Oronsaye Panel Report on the reform of government agencies and ministries, recommending abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in ministries.

According to the white paper, which was drafted by a committee headed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board would be divested of the powers to conduct matriculation examinations into tertiary institutions while universities would be allowed to conduct their entrance examinations to students.

Although the JAMB would not be scrapped, it would be a mere administrative structure that would set standard for minimum requirements on how  the various universities would conduct entrance examinations.

JAMB will be modeled along same line with the body in the United States of America which sets standards for admissions into institutions of higher learning.

Speaking on the matter a member of the committee said that the decision was preparatory to government’s plans to overhaul major sectors in the country.

“JAMB will be divested of the admission provision. It will no longer conduct examinations but will be a clearing house. Every school will admit its students. Neco will be scrapped and its infrastructure will be merged with that of the West African Examination Council (waec). Universities will be allowed to set their standards but jamb will set the minimum standard for admission into all tertiary institutions” the source said.

Source: Vanguard

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