It is indeed no news that the COVID19 pandemic has negatively affected the 2020 academic calendar as well as admission for the 2020/2021 session.
All exit classes are yet to partake in their respective ordinary level examinations such as the popular WASSCE, NECO and NABTEB.
Last month, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) boss, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, gave an official press statement on when the 2020/2021 admission into university, polytechnic, colleges of education would commence.
In his latest press statement, admission processes are expected to start in the month of August which is the usual time it holds but with the current COVID-19 Pandemic, it is important to give a reconsideration since those candidates who applied using awaiting result are yet to sit for their examinations.
Earlier, the exam body scheduled a meeting with all the tertiary institutions in the country to discuss the pressing issues surrounding this year’s admission.
The meeting was able to look into the possibility of ensuring that all tertiary institutions (University, Polytechnic, College of Education and Monotechnic) either delay or prolong their screening exercise in order to give room for candidates, who are expected to be sitting for their exit examinations which is meant to be conducted by the West African Examinations Council, the National Examinations Council, and National Business and Technical Examinations Board.
With this latest development as against the initial date of August, 2020 set for commencement of admission, all tertiary institutions have unanimously agreed to extend the closing date of their screening exercises so that the students writing their examinations this month and few months to come are able to partake as well as using their results for admission.
Therefore, the good news is that admission into all tertiary institutions will now commence on the 7th September to 4th October, 2020 while the second round remains open as from 8th November for the sake of those writing examinations.
According to the spokesperson for JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, he made it known that the board desired that all candidates, who had taken its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, are given equal opportunity to compete for admission into their respective tertiary institutions.
Consequently, the board will also be ensuring that the change of course and institution remain available for the candidates till when they are through with their examinations and their results released.
