309 - admissions in he nigeria

ADMISSIONS INTO HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA:

ISSUES, TRENDS AND CHALLENGES

By

Omojola Awosusi, Ph.D.

Registrar, Ekiti State University,

Ado-Ekiti. Nigeria.Email: [email protected]

Tel: +2348033957175

Being the text of a Paper presented at the AUA Conference held at the University of Manchester UK 2nd – 4th April, 2012.

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mailto:[email protected]

1. Introduction

2. History of Higher Education in Nigeria

3. Distribution of Higher Education in Nigeria

4. Establishment of Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board and the Issues Involved

5. Admission system in Nigeria Higher Education: The Trend

6. Quality Assurance system of JAMB

7. Challenges facing Admission system

8. Coping Strategies and the trend

9. Recommendations

10. Conclusion2

Definition of Concepts

What is Admissions?

Shakespeare : “The world is a stage.

It has its entrances and exits”

What is Higher Education Institution?

Citadel of Learning

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•150 million People

•923,768 Square Kilometres

•About 450 languages

•3 Principal Ethnic Nationalities

•Literacy Rate – 68%

•33.2% Youths (Age: 15-34)

•GDP: per capita : USD 2,500

• Independence: 1st October, 1960

• Member of Commonwealth

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1943 – Yaba Higher College - For

Technical/Professional Education

First Generation Universities

1948 - University College, Ibadan

First Generation Universities

1960 – University of Nigeria, Nsukka

1962 – University of Ibadan

University of Ife

University of Lagos

Ahmadu Bello University

1973 - University of Benin

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University of Ilorin

Usmanu Dan Fodiyyo University

University of Jos

Bayero University

University of Maiduguri

University of Port Harcourt

University of Calabar

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A. State Universities – From 1979

* Rivers State University of

Science and Technology –

1979

* Ekiti State University - 1982

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• Federal Universities of Science and

Technology

• Federal Universities of Agricultures

• State Universities of Science and

Technologies

• State Universities of Education

• National Open University

• Specialized Academies – NDA, Language

Villages etc

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• 1993 Decree – National Minimum Standards

and Establishment of Institutions Amendment

Decree

• Deregulation of Higher Education

• Establishment of Private Universities,

Polytechnics and Colleges of Education

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Ownership Number PercentageFederal 36 30.8

State 36 30.8

Private 45 38.4

Total 117 100

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Ownership Number Percentage

Federal 22 26.1

State 42 50.0

Private 20 23.9

Total 84 100.0

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Ownership Number PercentageFederal 20 33.33

State 29 48.33

Private 11 18.34

Total 60 100.0

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1977 - Establishment of JAMB

Issues which brought JAMB

* The Northern part of Nigeria less educated than the South

* Three out of Six Universities in Nigeria existed in the South West

* Majority of those admitted into Universities were from the South West

* Incidence of multiple admissions as a result of concessional examination system

* Need to Unify entrance examination in line with UK System

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* Seven Universities established in 1975 across

the country, but none in South West Nigeria to

create balancing

* Introduction of Centralized Admission Board

named JAMB

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1948 – 1977 Concessional Examination System

1978 - 1990 University Matriculation Examination (UME)

1990 - 2005 Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Examination (PCE) added to UME

2005 - Post University Matriculation Examination introduced

2010 - UME and PCE merged to create Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME)

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1. Organised Structure HQ, Zonal offices Test Administration Admission ICT

2. Intensive Training & Advocacy3. Community/Institutional Involvement e.g.

Stakeholders Meetings involving JAMB, NUC, FME and Heads of Institutions / Registrars of Institutions

4. Multiple Question Types5. Law Enforcement

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Admission Criteria Lack of Adequate access Focus of Candidates on Universities alone Massification Sharp practices High Examination cost Cross border option

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Merit Catchment Areas Less Educated Developed States Others

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Year Application Admission % Number Admitted

% Not Admitted

2000 404,305 60,553 15 85

2001 728,073 92,271 12.7 87.3

2002 896,356 69,594 7.8 92.2

2003 868,451 118,368 13.6 84.4

2004 745,923 125,679 16.9 83.1

2005 404,123 77,955 19.3 80.7

2006 267,032 88,306 33.1 66.9

2007 828,087 116,815 14.1 85.9

2008 957,686 120,195 12.6 87.4

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% Not Admitted

2000 104,195 39,132 37.6 62.4

2001 178,468 45,743 25.6 74.4

2002 195,151 17,479 8.9 91.1

2003 210,860 72,165 34.2 65.8

2004 - - - -

2005 145,309 24,672 17 83

2006 140,226 130,856 93.3 6.7

2007 130,856 18,267 14 86

2008 230,707 55,255 24 76

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% Not Admitted

2000 18,771 9,365 50 50

2001 18,122 12,862 71 29

2002 20,911 2,218 11 89

2003 23,482 12,321 53 47

2004 - - - -

2005 16,518 8,375 51 49

2006 12,693 7,749 61 39

2007 25,910 11,863 46 54

2008 58,698 41,944 72 28

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Institutions Applications %

Universities 6,100,036 80

Polytechnics 1,335,772 17

Colleges of Education 195,105 3

Total 7,630,913 100

Focus of Candidates on Universities alone

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80%

17%

3%

Universities Polytechnics Colleges of Education

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Institutions Applications %

Universities 869,754 63

Polytechnics 403,569 29

Colleges of Education 106,697 8

Total 1,380,020 100

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• Stampede

• Inability to write exams

• Inadequacy of materials

• Human capital

• Law Enforcement

• Control management

Problems of administering examination to multitudes

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Examination malpractices Inducement Impersonation

High Cost of Examination

Application form fee

Transportation

Result checking

ICT Cost

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Exodus of Nigerian students abroad to study Regional – Ghana Continental – South Africa Global

a. Europe - UK, Ukraine, Germany, Swedenb. Asia - Malaysia, China, India, Singapore

c. North America – USA, Canada.

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• NUC imposed carrying capacity on HE Providers• Constant Review of Methodologies by JAMB• Involvement of HR of Institutions by JAMB to

administer Examinations• Introduction of Post UME

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1. Enlargement of access to Higher Education• Improve/Upgrade existing Universities/Colleges

2. Technology to the rescue - Computer Based Testing (CBT)What is CBT?

Paperless examination for Examination delivery Taking of examination Scoring of examination Release of result

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Low Exam Delivery Costs Automated Instant -scoring Innovative Test Environment Improved Quality of Information Reduced cases of malpractices

• No leakages of questions• No impersonation

Prompt and Immediate Release of Results

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• Portal provides 24/7 access to scheduling info, allowing candidates to choose the most convenient location to take their exams

• Online scheduling and payment system would be deployed

• Schedule info would be communicated to the candidates by email/SMS Exam Centre Exam Date Exam Time slot

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Examiners would populate the Question Bank with large number of questions.

Server uses a sophisticated randomization algorithm based on question delivery criteria set by examiners

Questions would be randomly delivered to each candidate from the question bank

Same number of questions from each section of each subject would be delivered to all candidates

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Test/Exam would be scored instantly by computer

Compares the test-taker’s choice to the key set by examiner

Scoring is done only when the test-takers indicates he has finished or when exam time elapses

Computer allocates score based on question weight set by examiners

Scores and answers are uploaded unto the server

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Biometric Technology

CCTV

Restriction of access to Question bank

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A number of Nigerian Universities have embraced CBT fully

Covenant University

Landmark University

American University

University of Ilorin

University of Lagos

Federal University of Technology, Akure

Many Universities have adopted varying degrees of computer based testing system.

a) Paper Exam finished with OMR scanner e.g. Ekiti State University

b) Some Universities use e-examination especially for recruitment test e.g. Federal University Oye – Ekiti.

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