The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a statement clarifying its position regarding recent accusations by some Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates who blamed the board for their inability to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, Okay.ng reports.
JAMB firmly denied any responsibility for the issue, urging the public to disregard the claims.
In a statement released on Monday by JAMB’s spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, the board emphasized that it has no involvement, authority, or control over the admissions process for HND candidates.
The statement was issued in response to complaints from prospective NYSC candidates who suggested that JAMB was to blame for their exclusion from the mandatory one-year NYSC scheme.
“It is important to emphasize that JAMB has no involvement, authority, or control over the admissions process for HND candidates,” the statement read.
JAMB explained that the candidates in question completed their HND on a full-time basis but were not mobilized for NYSC because they had initially completed their Ordinary National Diploma (OND) on a part-time basis.
The board dismissed any connection between this issue and its mandate, stating that it does not oversee the admission or mobilization process for HND programs.
“The candidates claimed they did HND on full-time but were not mobilized because they did OND on part-time. How on earth does that concern JAMB?” the statement questioned, adding that JAMB’s responsibilities are limited to determining matriculation requirements and conducting examinations for undergraduate admissions, as well as admissions to National Diploma (ND) and Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) courses.
JAMB further clarified that most of the students involved were admitted into their institutions for ND programs without the board’s knowledge.
JAMB had previously condoned and endorsed these admissions, but it stressed that the subsequent admission of these candidates into HND programs falls outside its mandate.
“Their subsequent admission to HND is unknown and irrelevant to the mandate of the Board. As such, accusing the Board of issues it has no mandate over is preposterous,” the statement continued.
JAMB also warned that some of the candidates had crossed into criminal behavior and indicated that the board would take appropriate action in due course.
“The public is urged to disregard the accusations labeled against the Board as it has no mandate on such matters,” the statement concluded.
