JAMB AND DIRECT ENTRY REGISTRATION
The sudden closure of the 2019 direct entry registration portal during the election period in February has created serious bottleneck for thousands of A ‘Level IJMB, JUPEB and diploma students who are seeking admission into the university. We implore the honorable Minister of Education and the Jamb Registrar to reopen the direct portal for the affected candidates whose future hang in the balance. Note that there was no enough publicity or awareness for the Advanced Level IJMB, JUPEB and diploma students before closing the direct entry portal. The notification was only available to the UTME candidates and people who visited the Jamb portals during the time. Two, the closure of the direct entry registration in February 2019 was unusual. From the previous practice, the direct entry portal normally closes by July every year. This explains why the A ‘Level candidates never expected the portal to close that soon.
Three, UTME and direct entry are two different forms meant for two different categories of candidates at different times,
and so, their portals are never expected to close the same time based on previous practice.
Four, we also expect that any change in the existing policies should be given wide publicity through the mass media and enough time should be given to effect the needed changes. Last year, the Jamb Registrar closed the 2018 DE portal in July. So, no one would expect the same Jamb Registrar to change the usual closure period to February. Furthermore, most of the affected students have neither received their examination numbers nor have seen their results with which to register for the direct entry as at the time the portal was closed in February 2019.
We therefore urge the good offices of the Jamb Registrar and the Minister of Education to reconsider the extension of the 2019 direct entry registration for the sake of the innocent candidates who desire to further their education in the university, knowing fully well that one year wasted can cause a serious setback for these candidates and for the society at large. Comr. Olawuyi Olufemi, President, ASEAN, Ilorin, Kwara State