Mighty JAMB and Unaccredited Courses

I am one of the parents that are in deep agony caused by the publication of unaccredited courses in JAMB's admission brochure. My daughter applied for Architecture in a nearby university last year and scored 227 points in JAMB exam. It was during the online screening exercise that we realized that the course is not accredited. We waited in vain that something will be done by the university but nothing came up.

As all admission officers of Nigerian universities gather in Enugu to come up with a final admission list in the next three days, we have nowhere to turn to. The poor girl will waste a whole year of her academic career. She will need to sit for JAMB exam again next year and try her luck - yes, luck - in seeking for another admission unless her father does something.

This is how innocent Nigerians are made to suffer every year by people who are supposed to know and act better. This is not the first time JAMB is listing those courses. And every year, parents and children like my daughter are made to suffer this agony. This way, they are made to develop antipathy for the system and its administrators so early in their life.

I do not know who to blame. Professionally, JAMB is to blame because it owns the brochure that lists such courses. But the university is equally culpable. What stopped the university from alerting JAMB to remove such courses from the list of courses it offers before the publishing the brochure?

Suggestion:

I feel compelled to give the following suggestions:

1. JAMB should yearly ask each universities for a comprehensive list of its accredited courses for inclusion in the JAMB brochure. The Board must ensure that only accredited courses will appear in its brochure. This will avert any future occurrence.

2. What can we parents do for the affected children this year? Do we abandon them to the fate consigned by JAMB or do we seek redress for them and for future children that would fall victims of the same negligence?

In spite of efforts to ward it off, an idea continue to visit my mind: Heading to the High Court, pleading for an injunction compelling JAMB to immediately secure the admission of all affected qualified candidates in universities of their choice for the same courses they applied for. To have some peace, I think I should answer the call of my conscience.

Please parents similarly affected should contact me for a joint action against the Board. This nonsense must stop, NOW.

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde
15/11/2016