The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has taken disciplinary action against one of its officials in Lagos following an incident during the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
At the Bafuto Institute, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop in Ejigbo, Lagos, a female candidate wearing a hijab was asked to remove her head covering during the accreditation process before entering the examination hall.
This action sparked controversy and was promptly addressed by a senior JAMB official at the center. The candidate was allowed to proceed with the examination after the necessary checks were conducted with her hijab intact.
In response to this incident, JAMB released a statement through its spokesman, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, condemning the action of the official. The statement emphasized that the board does not have a policy prohibiting candidates from wearing religious attire, such as the hijab, during the examination.
The officials involved in the incident have been sanctioned as a deterrent to others who may consider similar actions in the future.
The statement also assured the public that the issue would be thoroughly investigated to prevent any recurrence. JAMB reiterated its commitment to ensuring that suitably qualified candidates are selected for admission into the nation’s tertiary institutions.
Despite this incident, the 2024 UTME has been conducted smoothly, with over 1.2 million candidates expected to have taken the examination by Monday, April 22, 2024.
