Chidimma Uchegbu, Abuja
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has announced the automation of curriculum, accreditation admission, and general administration matters between the board, tertiary institutions and their regulatory agencies, through its Interactive e-Brochure and e-Syllabus System (IBASS).
JAMB Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, who disclosed this at a meeting with regulatory agencies and tertiary institutions at its headquarters in Bwari, Abuja on Monday, said that beginning January 1, 2023, the board will not receive any letter from any institution or agency except through IBASS.
Oloyede noted that IBASS will ensure seamless communication between JAMB, institutions and their regulatory agencies without the use of letter writing as the practice has been.
He further stated that the automation of curriculum, accreditation and general administration matters among JAMB, regulatory agencies and Institutions will provide personalised services to the institutions and agencies as only JAMB and the institution will be able to see any communication on the platform.
“We discovered that we spend our time attending to letters from some major stakeholders of the board and the major stakeholders are essentially regulatory agencies: NUC, NBTE and NCCE. Apart from these stakeholders, we also receive from 890 institutions across the country.
“Essentially, the regulatory agencies appeal to us for approval of new programmes and accreditation of programmes. And what we receive from institutions is essentially about admission and registration or accreditation of new courses or quota issues.
The JAMB boss said the board felt that having been able to augment its communication with over 2 million students across tertiary institutions in the country through its Central Admission Processing System, CAPS, it can apply the same to admission and accreditation matters related to regulatory agencies and tertiary institutions.
“With this platform, if NUC approves admission quota, it would be centralised in such a way that as soon as you see approved, everybody will see it and there is no need to write to JAMB.
“Before now, registrars of institutions had no say that they have been complaining that they want to fall to know what they are doing and a platform has been created for them they may not be able to effect changes but will see everything,” he said.
The JAMB boss noted that the platform will improve the efficiency of all the operations of the board.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Abubakar Rasheed, said in the last 6 years, JAMB has built a strong relationship with regulatory agencies and institutions of higher learning in the country.
Rasheed expressed the belief that the cordial relationship has yielded many mutual benefits including the setting up of the platforms.
He stressed that communication as a tool for organisational efficiency can never be overemphasized while commending JAMB for setting up CAPS and IBASS as that will improve the efficiency and smooth operations of JAMB.
He added that the introduction of IBASS has revolutionised the admission process in the country and urged all institutions to make the best use of the noble innovation.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, said the introduction of IBASS and CAPS was the way to go as the nation requires digitization of all its communication.
Bugaje decried the failure of some polytechnic rectors to embrace digitisation, adding that the board will soon commence digitisation of all its process including accreditation in all polytechnics nationwide.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, noted that the platform will make the admission process seamless.
Okwelle commended the JAMB registrar on the many initiatives taken to reduce delay and improve efficiency, adding that IBASS will address challenges and improve efficiency in the admission process.
He assuring of NCCE’s corporation to do whatever is required of it to ensure that the system functions.
