On my way to work this morning, I read one of the newspaper headlines which stated the Federal Government's intention to alter the activities of the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Examinations Council (NECO) and some other Federal Government Agencies in a bid to further reduce the cost of governance (Scrap JAMB/UTME and NECO).
In Nigeria, JAMB administers the University Entrance Examination which is the basis of most university admissions in Nigeria. Although most universities conduct their internal admission examinations, students must attain a minimum JAMB-administered examination score to qualify for the school's admission examination. Hence, we can state that JAMB wields some monopoly power over university admission in Nigeria.
In May and November annually, secondary school (high school) students write their graduation examination which is a basic requirement to further your education into the polytechnics or universities or colleges of education in Nigeria. This examination has always been conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) over the years but in 2000, the Federal Government of Nigeria commissioned NECO to begin to conduct its own certification examinations. These exams were also conducted around the time WAEC conducted its own examinations hence giving students the option of writing four examinations in their graduating year and using any of or a combination of the results to further their educational career.
I consider the opinion to scrap these NECO examinations thereafter transferring the responsibility to WAEC and also to permit the various institutions to conduct their admission examinations internally while JAMB only regulates the conduct of the schools, an interesting one as the substance of this drive is to cease to spend on redundant activities whose purpose can be achieved more efficiently via other means.
The Federal Government's allocation to JAMB and NECO in the 2013 budget is a paltry 7.91billion naira ($49.4million naira) [Education allocation] of the entire budget and since their responsibilities are only being re-assigned, some part of these funds will still be utilised by the agencies hence in my opinion, even though it saves the country some spend; the focus of the argument should be on the purpose of the intention not the planned savings which is an off shoot of every efficient drive.
I do not regard the efficient drive lightly though as I am aware that efficient methods can save one from lots of spend in the long run even though it may seem irrelevant in the short term. I came across some comments on General Electric's 2012 Annual report which buttresses this point, 1% Fuel savings in its client's activities within the power sector leads to a 15-year savings of $66billion.
Although some Nigerians have mentioned that the monopoly vested on schools by permitting them to conduct their entrance examinations may be a negative, I would argue that this is not the case as every school aims to admit the best students who will do them proud hence will ensure that their admission exams and processes separate the wheat from the chaff effectively. In addition, since JAMB will now be responsible for introducing appropriate checks and balances, I do not see the monopoly disadvantage which gives suppliers the upper hand rearing its ugly head here.
I support this move and wish the Federal Government Godspeed in their endeavours. Nigeria can and will get better.
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