DE candidates now required to sit UTME, says JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says candidates seeking direct entry admission into any university will now be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The board, in a statement on Thursday, said the decision came in response to some malpractices seen in the conduct of the 2023 direct entry registration exercise.

Before now, only candidates without a diploma or other requirements for direct entry were made to sit the UTME to gain admission into the universities.

Others who meet the requirements for direct entry admission are, however, allowed to register without sitting UTME.

JAMB, in a new move, said DE candidates will now have to sit for the UTME like their fellow first-year applicants to prove the authenticity of the certificates they present for direct entry admission.

“All DE candidates, which comprise those seeking to be in year two in the universities, would henceforth be required to sit the UTME along with other candidates for them to justify the possession of their A’level certificates,” the board said.

“This policy is to be situated within the ambit of the board’s relentless efforts aimed at enhancing the growth of the nation’s education sector as it would promote transparency, accountability and good governance.

“It also underscores the board’s commitment and determination towards changing the negative narrative of A’level admissions into higher institutions in Nigeria.”