JAMB Gets Approval to Oversee HND Admissions

The Federal Government has approved the transfer of Higher National Diploma admission processing to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in a move aimed at reducing irregularities and improving transparency in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

The decision means JAMB will now oversee admissions into HND programmes through its Central Admissions Processing System, similar to the process already used for university, polytechnic and college admissions.

Officials said the measure is intended to end illegal admissions, improve record keeping and ensure that only qualified candidates are admitted into HND programmes.

The move is also expected to help tackle long-standing concerns about incomplete admission records and problems affecting graduates seeking mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps.

According to reports, institutions offering HND programmes will be required to process admissions through JAMB’s platform to allow proper monitoring by regulators.

The government said the policy is part of wider reforms designed to strengthen quality assurance in tertiary education.

“Admissions into HND programmes will now be centrally coordinated to eliminate irregularities and improve accountability,” officials were quoted as saying.

Education stakeholders have for years raised concerns over admissions conducted outside approved channels, with some students later facing difficulties because their records could not be verified.

JAMB currently oversees admissions into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions through CAPS, which was introduced to make the process more transparent.

The latest reform extends that system to HND programmes and is expected to create a single national database for admissions across tertiary institutions.

Institutions will need to adjust their systems to align with the new requirements, but the policy is expected to take effect ahead of future admission exercises as the government continues efforts to sanitise the education sector.