JAMB Scraps The Use of Scratch Cards; See Details!!

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation
Board has scrapped the use of scratch
cards in any of its transactions and
services, describing it as “archaic”, its
Registrar/Chief Executive, Prof. Is-haq
Oloyede, has announced.
He also demanded that the Federal
Government should revert to the former
system where serving Vice Chancellors of
Universities were made chairmen of the
Governing Board of JAMB.
A statement issued by the Spokesperson
of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, obtained by
THE PUNCH on Sunday, said, Oloyede
made the announcement in Abuja in a
paper he delivered during a meeting of the
Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian
Universities.
According to him, JAMB would be using
the platform of pin vending to check all
forms of fraudulent practices which was
prevalent with the use of scratch cards.
“The decision is as a result of its
consistent subjection to fraudulent
practices, the use of scratch cards is
archaic and it is the drive by JAMB to also
promote accountability in line with
government’s zero tolerance for corruption.
This new system will be accessible through
the options of web payment, ATM issued
cards (Visa, verve and Mastercard), online
quick teller, ATM payment, quick teller
mobile application and Bank Branch case/
card”, he said.
Oloyede said years ago, the understanding
was that only serving Vice-Chancellors
were made chairmen of Governing Board
of JAMB.
While appealing that government should go
back to the practice from inception,
Oloyede added that since the agency is a
creation of the Committee of Vice-
Chancellors, it would only be proper for
them to be clearly recognised as active
stakeholders to avoid any acrimony
between tertiary institutions and JAMB.
He believed that going back to the old
practices would “engender good synergies
and harmonious relationship with a view to
effectively delivering on its mandates.”
Oloyede recalled that for almost two
decades, specifically between 1977 and
1993, only serving Vice-Chancellors were
made Chairmen of the Board of JAMB,
from Prof Oladipo Akinkugbe, VC University
of Ilorin; Prof Donald E.U Ekong, VC
University of Port Harcourt; Prof Adamu
Baike, VC University of Benin; Prof Mahdi
Adamu, VC University of Sokoto and Prof
Isa Mohammed, VC University of Abuja.
He said, “This practice which promoted
harmony and quality inputs on the Board’s
matriculation activities have since been
forgotten or neglected. The appointment of
the chairman of the Board could be
restricted to only heads of tertiary
institutions in Nigeria perhaps in rotational
basis among the Vice-Chancellor of
Universities, Rectors of Polytechnics,
Monotechnics and Provosts of Colleges of
Education.

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