Varsity Don decries JAMB cut-off mark

Jeleel Olawale

A university lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr Adebayo Obadiora has decried 140 as cut-off mark for students seeking admission into Nigeria Universities.

Obadiora who is the Acting Head of Department of Arts and Social science Education, said 140 as cut-off marks is too low for admission into University.

Obadiora made this assertion in an interview with Nigerian NewsDirect on the sideline of JAMB determining cut-off mark for Universities.

According to him, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) may have motive of reducing the cut-off marks to 140 but this marks may not help our university education.

“It is not good to lower the cut-off mark for university admission and 140 will not help our education sector. Prospective admission seekers who scored 140 should be allowed to go to Polytechnic or NCE.

“It is not good for our university system and I think the cut-off marks may be for private universities. No Federal University can admit as low as 140 marks.The universities have been admitting students who scored  200 marks and above.

“This will cause a lot of problem for the university system as there are already existed problem of inadequate facilities coupled with below average admission seekers.

“Though, JAMB has been maintaining its integrity in terms of quality of the examination as it has reduced examination malpractices in the system.”

He noted that if the 140 cut-off marks is used to admit students, the students may not be able to compete with foreign students and is a problem for employer of labour as there have been problems on the quality of graduates the nation’s universities are producing.

It would be recalled that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, (JAMB) has adopted the minimum Cut-off point of 140 for University admission in 2022/2023. So, candidates need to pass the admission cut-off point of 140 to qualify for admission in 2022/2023.

Obadiora therefore urged all stakeholders in the university education system to involve in determining the cut-off marks for admission into universities in the country.