In a statement highlighting the commission’s recent achievements, the NCCE said the closures followed a nationwide crackdown on unaccredited colleges of education.

The commission said the affected institutions were identified as operating illegally, undermining quality assurance in Nigeria’s teacher education system.

The NCCE also noted that it had conducted a personnel audit and financial monitoring across the 21 federal colleges of education as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability in the sector.

The clampdown comes in line with President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to education regulators to rid the country of illegal tertiary institutions.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, Tinubu, represented by Rakiya Ilyasu, director of university education at the federal ministry of education, urged the NCCE, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to take decisive steps against “certificate millers” threatening the integrity of Nigeria’s education system.

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Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, Fabian Benjamin, public communications advisor for JAMB, said the decision was taken to enhance transparency and fairness in the admissions process.

“The attention of the board has been drawn to the predilection of some institutions to admit candidates outside the approved central admissions processing system (CAPS) platform and process such through the condonement of illegal admissions window to accord legitimacy,” the JAMB spokesperson said.

“In order to close this abused window, the Board has decided that: all institutions should now (or never) disclose all candidates illegally admitted prior to 2017 whose records are in their system within the next one month beginning from 1st August 2024; and any admission purportedly given prior to 2017 will no longer be recognised or condoned unless disclosed within this one-month window.

“Institutions are advised to comply with this directive as there will not be any further condonement of hitherto unrecorded candidates who did not even register with JAMB not to talk of sitting for any entrance examination.

“This move is aimed at curbing illegal admissions and falsification of records, while ensuring compliance with the provisions of CAPS.”

He said the decision marks the end of the condonement of Illegal admissions window, which previously allowed institutions to incorporate unauthorised admissions into the system.

Benjamin highlighted concerns over institutions colluding with candidates to falsify details for illegal admissions, which has led to fraudulent participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

He said despite warnings, some institutions continue to admit candidates outside CAPS and seek condonement of undisclosed illegal institutional admissions (CUIIA).

“Consequently, the Board is terminating the aspect of CUIIA process which allows completely unregistered candidates (without registration) to be introduced to the system. CAPS is the only authorised platform for admissions,” he said.

“Those who even have registration but were illegally admitted between the period (2017-2020) would soon be denied the opportunity of the waiver unless they are disclosed within the next one month.

“Therefore, all institutions are hereby directed to disclose, for the final time, all candidates admitted illegally within their systems. Moving forward, the Board will not tolerate any undisclosed admission by any institution.”

Benjamin said recent discoveries made it imperative for the Board to speak out to save the integrity of the education system.

On the issue of minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions for 2024/2025 session, the board maintained that the minimum age for admission remains 16 years.

“For the 2024 admission cycle, candidates who will be at least sixteen years old at the time of admission will be considered eligible,” he said.

“This decision follows the directive from the Chairman of the 2024 tertiary admission policy meeting, who is also the Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN,OON that the extant policy of 6-3-3-4 be enforced only from 2025 session.

“The alarming avalanche of obviously false affidavits and upsurge of doctored upward age-adjustments on NIN slips being submitted to JAMB to upgrade recorded age is dangerous, inimical and unnecessary.

“Only those below 16 would not and should not be admitted in accordance with the decision of the 2024 Policy Meeting.”

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