13th October, 2016
The extension was contained in the new amendments made to the Act establishing the board.
The Bill approving the amendment of the Act was passed at plenary on Thursday., and the senate said that the extension was granted to reduce the financial burden of the examination on parents.
The passage of the Bill followed the report of the Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund chaired by Sen. Jubrin Barau (APC Kano North).
In the report, the committee said that the validity was extended in view of the financial hardship experienced by parents in sponsoring their wards for the examination.
On June 1, the Senate read JAMB Amendment Bill 2016 for the second time and referred same to the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund for further considerations.
The purpose of the bill is to among other things, amend the JAMB Act to increase validity period of JAMB examinations from one academic year to three academic years.
The Bill was generated after a motion moved on the floor in November, 2015.
The motion entitled “JAMB’s New Admission Policy’’ was sponsored by Sen. Joshua Lidani (APC Gombe South).
The Senate had then ordered the board to immediately stop its policy of re-assigning candidates to schools they never applied to.
In another development, the Bill Seeking the Establishment of the Nigerian Peace Corps was deferred as members did not agree on certain terms in it.
They expressed concern over some insertions in the Bill and argued that further considerations should be stepped down for another day in order to allow the Committee on Interior to do a proper job.
The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki , thereafter suspended the passage of the Bill till another legislative date.
The Senate statement on JAMB issued today.
“SENATE PASSES JOINT ADMISSIONS AND MATRICULATION BILL AMENDMENT
“The Nigerian Senate just passed the amendment to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s Act SB. 245 into law. In the amendment passed, the Senate strengthened the Board to allow the results of students in the annual examination be valid beyond that year.
“Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Senator Jibrin Barau while presenting the report of his committee on the #JAMBBill explained that the amendments will further strengthen the Admissions Board in its responsibilities.
“Senate President Bukola Saraki, in appreciating his distinguished colleagues for their work towards the passage of the bill commented that the new amendments will indeed bring financial relief to students as well as parents and reduce bottlenecks and corruption in the admission process.”