JAMB Warns Tertiary Institutions Against Changing Candidates' Courses

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board announced on Monday that candidates can only be transferred from one programme to another at any tertiary institution with their approval.

Prof Is-haq Oloyede, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, confirmed this in a bulletin sent to newsmen.

The warning, according to Oloyede, was issued in accordance with the Board’s regulation, which prohibits candidates’ preferences for specific programmes or courses from being tempered unless the candidate expresses otherwise.

“The Registrar’s comments were to clarify the request by some universities that JAMB enable them to transfer candidates from one programme to another within the institution’s CAPS at no additional cost to the students,” the bulletin stated.

“It was also to highlight that transferring candidates from one programme to another is difficult and that not all candidates transferred through the Change of Program platform will appear on CAPS.” The Registrar explained how the Central Admissions Processing System works, saying that the transfer procedure is automated on CAPS and can only be completed with the candidate’s approval or acceptance.

“This, he claims, prevents the unjustified removal of qualified candidates from a course in order to make room for unqualified candidates.” Proposed candidates for transfer, on the other hand, would not appear on new programmes unless the transfer was approved by the candidates concerned.

“Waiving the requirement of getting the consent or acceptance of the applicants in question would be a violation of the Board’s existing rules and regulations, as well as a risk of litigation and duplication of admissions,” he added.

“Taking the COHEADS through the process,” Prof. Oloyede explained, “there would be a Transfer Alert (notice from CAPS) to the candidate to either ACCEPT or REJECT the movement before a candidate could be moved or transferred to another programme.”

“If a candidate presses YES, the candidate will be transferred to the new programme and will be required to be admitted.” Furthermore, the candidate would be contacted to change his or her programme at the time of acceptance in order to print his or her Letter of Admission.

“However, if the candidate pushes NO or remains silent (no reaction), the candidate is locked into the programme he or she has chosen and cannot be transferred.” Prof. Oloyede claimed that the regulation “is in keeping with the Board’s policy, which prohibits candidates’ preferences for particular programmes or courses from being tempered unless the candidate expresses differently.”