The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it is using technology and refining its policies to improve transparency, build public trust and reduce candidates’ anxiety during admission processes.
The Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, disclosed this during an interaction with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, saying the measures were aimed at improving existing processes rather than introducing fundamental changes.
Aina said the initiatives aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to reduce emotional stress among children and strengthen public confidence in the admission system.
He said candidates could now track their admission status in greater detail instead of seeing only the “not admitted” notification while awaiting decisions.
“Building trust is increasing transparency. That is why now you can see the progress with your admission status.
“Instead of just seeing not admitted, seeing admission in progress and just waiting and being nervous and being traumatised, we now have a situation where you can see the details,” he said.
Aina said JAMB had also introduced measures to allow candidates to update their email addresses and telephone numbers when they lost access to them.
He said technology had made the changes possible, with safeguards in place to protect the board’s systems and candidates’ records.
The registrar said JAMB had partnered with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to address discrepancies in candidates’ names and other personal details.
He explained that the arrangement allowed candidates to align their records with NIMC data while enabling JAMB to obtain verified information and detect possible identity manipulation.
On whether the initiatives amounted to rebranding JAMB, Aina said they were intended to consolidate existing reforms. He acknowledged the contributions of previous leadership, particularly the immediate past registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who strengthened the board’s operations through reforms and technology adoption.
On the harmonised examination timetable, Aina said the arrangement would shorten the time available for JAMB to prepare for its examinations.
However, he said it would benefit the education system by ensuring that results were released within the timeframe required for admission processes.
On the proposed introduction of critical thinking and life skills assessments, Aina said JAMB had inaugurated a committee to examine how the competencies could be incorporated into its examinations.
He said the board currently assessed candidates mainly in subjects covered by their Senior Secondary School Certificate examinations but was exploring additional ways to evaluate their abilities.
According to him, the proposed assessments could help determine whether competencies beyond conventional academic subjects would provide a broader basis for evaluating candidates’ readiness for university education.
“JAMB is a first mover in the examination ecosystem. We are supposed to be placing candidates who are already qualified.
“So for us to consider you for admission, you must have been qualified. And what does it mean to be qualified? It means you have passed your O’Level,” he said.
Aina cited medicine as an example, saying critical thinking and sound decision-making were important alongside technical knowledge in subjects such as biology and chemistry.
He said JAMB was discussing with some universities the possibility of conducting a long-term study to compare candidates’ critical thinking and life skills assessment results with their subsequent academic performance.
The findings, he said, could help determine whether the competencies should be considered alongside conventional academic qualifications in admission decisions.
Aina added that the initiative could also support wider access to education by providing a broader understanding of candidates’ abilities beyond their performance in a single examination.
