FG Approves Cut-Off Marks For 2013/2014 UTME

The Federal Government on Tuesday in Abuja approved cut-off marks for
admission into tertiary institutions
for the 2013/2014 academic session.

The Minister of Education, Ruqayyatu Rufa'i, announced the cut-off marks into Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and other degree-awarding institutions as 150 while 180 is for federal universities.

Rufa'i said this at the Fourth Combined Policy Meeting on Admission to Degree-Awarding Institutions, National Diploma (ND), Nigeria Certificate in Education(NCE) and National Innovation Diploma (NID) awarding institutions.
She said the meeting was to plan for the selection of qualified candidates into the nations tertiary institutions and also to restore confidence in the education
system.
"I implore all stakeholders to follow the Federal Government's guidelines on admission which stipulatesb70:30 Technology/Non-Technology ratio for ND programmes.
"Also, 60:40 Science/Arts ratio for
Degree and Nigeria Certificate in
Education programmes and also to
observe the criteria on merit, catchments and educationally less developed states.
"In addition, we must not forget the
carrying-capacity of our institutions as approved by the accrediting bodies,'' sheb said.
According to her, the accreditation
bodies are the National Universities
Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education(NCCE).
Rufa'i said in order to enhance the
carrying capacities of the country's
institutions the ministry had undertaken
continuous development and
rehabilitation of infrastructure in the institutions of higher learning.

She, however, said the Tertiary Education Trust Fund had disbursed N256.4 billion over the past three years for diverse development activities in the institutions.
She said that at the polytechnic level all the 51 Federal and state and polytechnics had benefited from rehabilitation and upgrading of their laboratories to 21st century standards ata total of N15 billion

She said that this had helped to enhance the teaching and learning process in the institutions.
She also said that work had also started on the construction of micro-teaching laboratories in our colleges of education.
The minister also said that all Federal Colleges of Education and one state
College of Education per state would benefit from this, making a total of 58 institutions at a cost of N11.6 billion.
"I am pleased that these interventions
continue to translate to expanded
carrying capacity in our institutions.
"For this academic year, we expect
carrying capacity to increase from
400,691 admitted last year to over
500,000.
"I urge all institutions to carefully
examine their carrying capacities in
relation to their expanding
infrastructure. You must make sure that you fill the quota for each course.''
She called on all institutions to adhere to
the admission timetable as prepared by
the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

Rufa'i commended JAMB on the
successful conduct of the 2013 UTME.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Dibu
Ojerinde, said the meeting was to
prepare grounds for needed capital
development to engineer the Nigerian "Technological growth that would be attained through quality and functional education of the citizens.

"Let me remind all the federal
institutions that the ratio of 45:35:20 for merit, catchment and educationally less- developed states, respectively, is still in force and should be adhered to strictly to ensure national cohesion.

"All Nigerians must be given the
opportunity to mix and educate freely in any part of the country.''

Ojerinde also said the ratio of 40:40:20 for state-owned institutions must be strictly adhered  to

JAMB Releases 2013 UTME Results

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2013 Unified TertiaryMatriculation Examination (UTME) results. The examination body, however, withheld 12,110 results for possible disciplinary action.

“However, the results of 68,309 candidates from various centres are undergoing further screening to ascertain the culpability of 12,110 candidates’ results." The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, announced this at a news conference on the release of the results in Bwari, FCT, on Friday.

The registrar said after thorough processing of answer scripts of the candidates who sat for the examination, the board discovered some forms of malpractice perpetuated during the examination.

He said: “The general performance of candidates in this year’s examination shows remarkable improvement compared with last year. Ten candidates scored 300 marks andabove, while 127,017 candidates scored between 1-159 marks.

“About 40,692 candidates’ results were invalid due to either multiples hading or no shading at all. After processing all the results, the board also discovered that about 47,974 candidates were absent.“ The registrar assured the candidates that their results couldbe accessed on the JAMB Website: www.myjambresult.com using their registration numbers.

“Let me once again state that candidates are allowed to change their choices of institutions and courses once only, this change has to be effected within two weeks from today. “

Ojerinde said the Computer BasedTest (CBT) is scheduled to take place from May 18 to June 1 and appealed to candidates to reprint their e-registration slips afresh to further ascertain their CBT centres.

2013 UTME:Only 520,000 will get admission–FG

Only 520,000 would be admitted into tertiary institutions this year, according to the examination body, out ofthe grand total of 1,735,720 candidates, leaving over 1.2 million without admission.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday, JAMB Registrar, Prof ‘Dibu Ojerinde, said at a press briefing that the 520,000 was an improvement in the carrying capacity of tertiary institutions in thecountry, compared to what it was two years ago.

“The carrying capacity of all tertiary institutions, including Colleges of Education, is 520,000. It is, indeed, an improvement from the 450,000 we had two years back.”

“Of the grand total of 1,735,720 candidates writing the UTME from Saturday, April 27, 2013, 1,629,107 candidates applied for the PPT, 15,008 for the DBT and 91,610 CBT for the exam. “The Paper Pencil Test (PPT) and the Dual Based test (DBT) is scheduled tohold on Saturday, April 27, 2013, while the CBT will commence from Saturday, May 18, 2013, and end on Saturday, June 1, 2013.

“Consequently, the board has concluded all arrangements for the smooth conduct of the 2013 UTME using the three testing modes. “Also 196 inmates who applied from Lagos and Kaduna respectively are also sitting for this Saturday UTME, while 145visually impaired candidates will sit for thesame exam as provisionshave been made for bailey questions and answers.”

Prof Ojerinde said the board had provided questions and answers in braille for the visually impaired with an extra time of 15 for each an hour paper He advised visually impaired candidates to report at their respective centres on the day of the examination, as adequate arrangements had been made to take care of them at the examination centres.

Some of the visually impaired candidates whohad applied for the DBT and CBT have been reverted to PPT as there is no provision for visually impaired candidates to write CBT and DBT. The board said it had also created additional 167 centres in order to accommodate all the candidates that registered for the UTME.