JAMB has announced that candidates seeking direct entry admission into any Nigerian university will now have to participate in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This was disclosed by the Head of Public Affairs and Protocol Unit, Fabian Benjamin in a statement issued on Thursday According to him, Direct Entry candidates will have to take UTME going forward in order to prove the authenticity of the certificates they present for direct entry admission.

The decision was taken at the management committee meeting held to appraise the recent crisis witnessed in the conduct of the 2023 Direct Entry registration.

JAMB’s statement reads, “Another major policy change also to be implemented by the Board to holistically address all loopholes giving rise to abuses in the Direct Entry admission processes is that all DE candidates, which comprise those seeking to be in Year Two in the universities, would henceforth be required to sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UTME along with other candidates for them to justify the possession of their A’ level certificates.

“This policy is to be situated within the ambit of the Board’s relentless efforts aimed at enhancing the growth of the nation’s education sector as it would promote transparency, accountability, and good governance. It also underscores the Board’s commitment and determination towards changing the negative narrative of A’ level admissions into higher institutions in Nigeria.”