Federal lawmaker proposes 3-year validity for UTME results

By AKEEM ABAS

Rep. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (APC-Oluyole) has proposed a three-year validity period for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results in the country.

This is contained in a statement issued by her Media Aide, Olamilekan Olusada, and made available to newsmen on Thursday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akande-Sadipe is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Matters.

She said that a bill was, on March 16, sponsored on the floor of the House to amend the law establishing Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

According to her, the bill is tagged: “A Bill for an Act to Amend the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Establishment, etc.) Act, 2021 and Other Related Matters.”

Akande-Sadipe said that the law should be amended to increase the validity of UTME to three years to make JAMB function better.

The lawmaker argued that the one-year validity period of UTME results was cumbersome, distorting and worrisome to the average Nigerian.

“Most examinations meant for entrance for academic programmes generally last more than a year.

“Take a look at IELTS, SATS, GRE and other recognised examinations, they are either valid for three or four years, and they have remained among the best, as they have the test of time.

“The bill seeks to increase the validity of JAMB results from one to three years,” Akande-Sadipe said.

She added that the bill, if adopted and passed, would guarantee candidates’ admission into tertiary institutions three years after sitting for UTME.

The lawmaker stressed that this would save many Nigerians from the cost of purchasing UTME forms every year.

“The bill, if adopted and passed, will minimise the cost of running the examination and allow candidates to plan, project and decide on which of the tertiary institutions to study.

“It will also allow candidates to determine what to study and where, after seeing their strength as well as weaknesses, thus minimising the logistical need for conducting the examination.

“It will reduce uncertainties surrounding applications and admissions, and the number of applicants annually without reducing the quality of the examination,” she said. (NAN)