A total of 3,135 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Direct Entry examinations candidates who scored 300 and above in 2018, 2019 and 2020 did not gain admission into tertiary institutions, according to reports.
The figure is based on the admission statistics prepared by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for the three years.
The statistics for 2018, 2019 and 2020 were made available on the board’s website.
The board is still working on the 2021 statistics following the conclusion of the 2021 admission.
It has been reported that while tertiary institutions are at liberty to determine their respective cut-off marks for admission, there is a widely held belief that candidates who score higher marks have advantages over those with poor UTME scores.
In 2018, JAMB noted that though a total of 4,683 candidates scored 300 and above, only 3,683 gained admission while 1,000 candidates were unable to gain admission.
In 2019, a total of 2,967 candidates scored 300 and above, while 2,288 candidates got admitted 679 were denied admission.
In 2020, a total of 4,948 students scored 300 and above, while 3,492 candidates were admitted, 1,456 were denied admission.
The JAMB registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, on the website of the board listed, “Wrong O’Level subject combination; low post-UTME screening score; non-acceptance of admission offer; duplication of application; absence from post-UTME screening and mismatch of catchment” as some of the reasons some candidates who scored over 300 marks did not get admission.
Source: The Punch