ASS Lauds JAMB On Inclusivity Policies  

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) has been lauded for its planned issuance of free application forms to candidates with disabilities, who possess five O’level credits and who are desirous of sitting the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation (UTME).

The Chairman, House Committee on Disability Matters, Hon. Bashiru Dawodu, gave this commendation in a chat with JAMBulletin on Wednesday, 27th December, 2024

.According to the lawmaker, the grant of free application documents emanated from the resolutions of the “First National Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education in Nigeria” held on 26th September, 2023, at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, FCT.

The lawmaker repesenting Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency 1, who described the gesture as “a wonderful idea” said the gesture would not only enhance access to higher education but would also remove financial impediments for candidates with disabilities. The Chairman, while also canvassing for free education for candidates with disabilities at all levels and their automatic job placement upon graduation, urged all agencies of government and organised private sector to emulate JAMB by putting in place policies that would bring succour to candidates with disabilities.

“The issuance of free UTME forms to candidates with five O’level credits is a wonderful idea. In fact,  the Committee on Disability Matters is impressed with  how well JAMB is running its affairs and its activities particularly as they concern persons  Living with Disabilities (PLWD). In this respect, JAMB is ahead and doing very well,” he said.

Hon. Dawodu, who also described Prof. Oloyede as an uncommon advocate of inclusive education, commended him for the transformations he had birthed in JAMB through leveraging on relevant technology and, by so doing, changing its narratives for the better. Furthermore, he also scored the Registrar high for the creation of the JAMB-

Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) to cater for candidates with disabilities particularly blind candidates noting that this act might not be unconnected with the Registrar’s love for Persons Living With Disabilities.

He advised the Registrar to take the interest of PLWD into consideration when embarking on infrastructural development and construction of Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centres to make them more user-friendly for candidates with disabilities.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker, while reiterating his committee’s commitment to entrenching a more inclusive and equitable society, expressed its resolve to acting as a voice for the disabled community, commended JAMB for its generous and landmark recommendation on free donation of application documents to desiring candidates with disabilities stating that such a move was long overdue.