By Yinka Oduntan
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that it is not responsible for admissions into Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes or for the inability of some polytechnic graduates to be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps.
The Registrar of JAMB, Is-haq Oloyede, made the clarification while meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), led by Comrade Eshofune Paul Oghayan.
Oloyede explained that the Board’s mandate is limited to conducting entrance examinations and processing admissions into first-degree programmes, National Diploma (ND) and the Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE).
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He stressed that the Board does not handle admissions into HND programmes offered by polytechnics.
“The Board is not responsible for admitting HND students into polytechnics and, therefore, has no data to facilitate their entry into the National Youth Service Corps scheme,” he said.
The clarification comes amid longstanding complaints by polytechnic graduates over difficulties with NYSC mobilisation for HND holders, with some students wrongly attributing the challenge to JAMB.
Oloyede advised affected students to channel their complaints to the appropriate institutions responsible for their admissions rather than the Board.
He explained that once candidates complete their National Diploma programmes and seek admission into HND programmes, the responsibility for such admissions rests solely with the institutions offering the programmes.
The JAMB Registrar also raised concerns over irregular admission practices in some polytechnics.
According to him, some institutions admit more National Diploma candidates than permitted by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), creating discrepancies when such graduates proceed to HND programmes in other institutions.
He further criticised some Daily Part-Time HND programmes, describing them as exploitative and warning that graduates from unconventional programmes may encounter difficulties during NYSC mobilisation.
“Some polytechnics have conducted illegal admissions, with one institution reportedly having over 42,000 irregular cases,” Oloyede said.
“If institutions follow the proper process, there would be no problem. On our part, we will continue to render quality service beneficial to all stakeholders. Let’s do things properly,” he added.
