JAMBULLETIN

PRIORITISE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH- JAMB BOSS ADMONISHES SCHOLARS

The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has admonished academia to prioritize agricultural research which, according to him, was capable of linking the end-users, who are the farmers, with researchers and the end-products of their research so as to effectively bridge the gap between scientific advancements and economic development through practical implementation programmes that would impact food production.

In a landmark keynote address delivered at the Consortium of Eight Kwara Universities (KU8) Maiden International Conference on 8th August, 2023, at the University of Ilorin Auditorium, Prof. Oloyede stressed the crucial role of stakeholders in transforming university education in the 21st century by involving farmers, local communities, and other stakeholders from the outset.

Addressing a distinguished audience of educators, scholars, and policymakers, Prof. Oloyede stressed the need for collaborative efforts that would promote meaningful changes in the higher education landscape.

According to him, the traditional approaches to university education must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly-changing world, where technology, innovation, and global connectivity play pivotal roles.

The keynote speaker, before delving into the multifaceted role that stakeholders play in shaping the future of higher education, stated that universities have eighteen different stakeholders, whose relationship is cyclical and the performance of one affects the other.

“The responsibilities of universities, government, leaders of industry, students, among others, at ensuring the delivery of quality education that prepares graduates for the challenges of the modern workplace cannot be overemphasised,” he said. Prof. Oloyede also underscored the importance of curriculum relevance, research-driven teaching, and fostering critical thinking skills.

According to the seasoned scholar, “While all stakeholders should be involved indefining and implementing the response of the universities to development issues such as establishment of innovation hubs, job creation, support for agriculture, and capacity building in information and communication technology, other less-endowed groups must leverage on the goodwill of the universities to advance.”

The major takeaway of the maiden conference is the unanimous view of participants that the KU 8 consortium international conference had successfully initiated a dialogue that is capable of ushering in the much-needed and positive changes in the Nigerian and, by extension, the global education sector.

THEFT OF LAPTOP: CLEANER JAILED FOR SIX MONTHS

A Magistrate Court 2 sitting in Kado – Life Camp, Abuja, has jailed a contract staff with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for six months for stealing an HP laptop belonging to the Board.

According to the charge sheet read to the defendant, Emmanuel Odey, who was alleged to have committed the crime on Thursday, 13th July, 2023, at the Board’s FCT Zonal Office, Abuja, contrary to Section 287-289 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section.

Odey, a cleaner employed for cleaning services at the Board’s FCT Zonal Office, broke down in tears and admitted before the court to stealing the HP laptop worth three hundred and fifty thousand naira(N350,000)to pay his house rent that has expired.

While pleading for leniency, he confessed that he had acted alone but blamed the devil for his act and begged to be given a second chance.

After cross-examination, the Senior Magistrate, Mr. Egbe Rapheal Joshua, stated that the defendant, a first-time offender, had shown remorse and had not wasted the precious time of the court and recognised youthful exuberance as a possible factor in the crime.

The Senior Magistrate summarily tried and convicted the defendant under Section 112(8) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and sentenced him to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine of five thousand naira.

Earlier, in its bid to unravel the mystery of the missing HP laptop, the Board had set up an investigating team headed by Superintendent of Police, Joy Abuma, whose painstaking investigation led to the arrest of the defendant and his eventual confession that he had hidden the laptop in his sister’s residence.

OLOYEDE ADVOCATES ENHANCED VARSITY-COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BERATES OVERBEARING ATTITUDES OF HOST COMMUNITIES

In an effort to highlight and improve the souring relationship between Nigerian Universities and their host communities, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has berated many host communities of ivory towers in Nigeria for their overbearing attitude.

The former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, in his keynote address at the Maiden Conference of the Eight Universities in Kwara State (KU8) on 8th August, 2023, at the University of Ilorin, bemoaned the attitude, which he described as counterproductive whereby local communities simply accepted the universities for acceptance sake rather than focusing on the symbiotic relationship that should exist between them towards fostering stronger technological and economic “In many instances, rather than ask for profitable engagement with the universities, communities are now more interested in who becomes the Vice Chancellor. Hence, a strong dose of nativism has now pervaded the university-community relations.

Across the country, the strident call from the host communities is that their sons and daughters must occupy the exalted seat of either the Vice Chancellor or Registrar of the universities in their localities. This is an unfortunate and narrow view of progress and development, “he said.

The Registrar, therefore, reiterated the significant role of the ivory towers in the developmental aspirations of their host communities in particular and Nigeria in general.

This, he attributed to the propensity of universities to care for their host communities through a moral or legal obligation to ensure their safety or wellbeing. Prof. Oloyede also disclosed that the obligations of a university towards its community extend beyond the educational aspect adding that part of the duties of universities to their host communities is being active and responsible participants in addressing their needs and aspirations.

This comprehensive approach contributes to the holistic development and well-being of both the university and the community they are part of. “One major plank of this duty of care is the secondary school system.

Our universities should start intervening in different aspects of our secondary schools rather than waiting for them to first churn out substandard products and then later, organizing remedial programmes.

Conscious strategies should be evolved to see how the products of the schools could be enhanced at their formative stages and not when they are waiting to enter the universities”. Continuing, he cited various examples of successful digital initiatives that could be explored to enhance the learning experience of the youths in their host communities’ part of which could be to help make education accessible to a broader range of learners while getting their host communities and other stakeholders to embrace relevant technology to facilitate effective teaching, learning, and research.

He, therefore, called for a renewed commitment among stakeholders to synergize towards engendering a more relevant, inclusive, and technological-driven higher education landscape.

Hence, he stated that his message is predicated on finding ways and means by which universities could help the country to flourish through the engagement of local communities through skill infusion and immersive learning, and by so doing, the nation could create a more productive manpower as well as foster career-ready competences.

JAMB RECEIVES COMMENDATION FOR HARMONISING PART-TIME ADMISSION

In continuation of his familiarization visit to key stakeholders in the education industry, the Ekiti State Coordinator of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Mr. Hassan Lawal, has again underscored the importance of synergy for mutually-beneficial results.

This was contained in the address of the State Coordinator when he paid a courtesy call on the Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Dr. John Alake, and members of his management.

The State Coordinator, who assured the institution of regular interface to avoid pitfalls in its admission procedures, was quick to add that his office would ensure timely and proper processing of their indemnity forms for necessary approval by the National Headquarters.

Earlier, the Rector had commended the Board for its newly-introduced modalities for part-time admission which, according to him, is a right step towards satisfying the yearnings of Nigerians in quest for academic excellence.

He assured the State Coordinator that the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, will endeavour to operate within the Board’s stipulations by conducting its admissions through the CAPS platform.

He noted that the platform has drastically reduced incidences of admission irregularities prevalent in the past and pledged further compliance.

To sensitise other actors, the Rector agreed to host the inaugural meeting between the JAMB State Coordinator and Heads of institutions in Ekiti State for a more robust interactive session on admission procedures.

In the entourage of the State Coordinator was the State Office PRO, Mr. AbdulRasaq Olarenwaju Bhadmus, who commended the institution’s management for receiving the JAMB team and Mr. Ishola Ganiu delivered a vote of thanks on behalf of the State Coordinator.

PFA ENLIGHTENS JAMB ABIA STATE STAFF ON RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND INVESTMENT OPTIONS

In its bid to prepare members of staff of the Board ahead of life after retirement, a Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), Asset and Resources Management (ARM), on Thursday, 10th August, 2023, enlightened members of staff of the Abia State Office, Umuahia, on their retirement benefits and investment options.

In his exposition during the sensitisation visit of the PFA to the office, its Business Development Manager, Mr. Reuben Egwutu, urged the staff to invest wisely so as to get good returns on their investments on or before retirement, stressing that their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) are capable of attracting returns that could either be withdrawn or reinvested.

According to Mr. Egwutu, contributors’ investments can be accessed or liquidated within forty eight hours while payment of returns on investment can be done on a quarterly basis.

He added that investments could also attracts 10% interest rate per annum, which according to him, is better than the average interest accruing from Retirement Savings Account (RSA) which interest could fluctuate while the principal remains intact and secured.

Furthermore, Mr. Egwutu encouraged members of staff, who have not visited their PFAs for data recapturing, to do so as soon as possible to update their records and facilitate the processing of their retirement benefits after exiting the service.

In his remarks, the Abia State Coordinator, Mr. Johnson Adebiyi, expressed gratitude to the PFA delegation for taking the time to sensitise the staff on this very important matter.